


Five Words

by gay_pride_muthafuckas, hunters_retreat



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Boys Kissing, Ed has no idea what to do with a baby, Edward Elric is in love, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, Post-Promised Day, Roy Mustang is actually sweet, Roy is good with babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-04-25 08:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 48,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14374437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_pride_muthafuckas/pseuds/gay_pride_muthafuckas, https://archiveofourown.org/users/hunters_retreat/pseuds/hunters_retreat
Summary: When the Promised Day was over, Ed Elric had everything he'd ever really hoped for; his brother's soul back in his body and all his friends safe.  He'd gotten a thing or two he hadn't expected as well; his arm back in the flesh and a newfound respect and friendship with the Colonel Bastard.  Oh, yeah.  And an infant son he didn't know how to care for.It took seven years and four countries for Ed to settle down.  Funny, how it only took five words to finally find a home.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gay_pride_muthafuckas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_pride_muthafuckas/gifts).



> A huge thank you to my dearest [gay_pride_muthafuckas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_pride_muthafuckas/profile). She was not only my beta (You were right. There is far more kissing than I remembered writing :P), but she was my co-plotter. She is also what helps keep my love of FMA burning bright.

The infant in his arms slept deeply and Edward Elric tried to imagine what that might feel like.  He wondered if the boy had slept just as soundly two nights ago, when he was a young boy that housed a philosopher’s stone. 

The Promised Day was done.  Mustang was in a hospital room down the hall with Hawkeye.  Fuery was on guard outside the door with a couple men that Ed recognized from Briggs.  Breda and Falman were out seeing to the chaos that the Promised Day had wrought. 

Ed had watched for a few minutes as the Armstrong siblings had tackled people trying to crowd in around the military compound for answers.  The Briggs general scared a fair few number of them away, while those that needed a softer touch were handed to her brother.  Alex Louis Armstrong was a natural at crowd control and he went a long way to help public relations whenever he was around.

The door across the hall opened up and the nurse walked out, motioning Ed back into the room.  He stood, careful not to wake the sleeping child in his arms.

“Well Doc?” Ed asked as he walked in.  “What’s the prognosis?”

Alphonse looked up at him with a smile and Ed nearly cried; his brother, in his own body, smiling at him.

“He’s malnourished and there has been quite a degree of entropy to his muscles, but we can take care of that with exercises and a steady diet.  We’ll need to set a strict schedule for reintroducing food and his exercise routine but he’ll make a full recovery.”

“That’s great news,” Ed said with a grin.

“I think once we make sure he’s keep solid foods down and he can move around on his own, at least enough to get to the bathroom, he’ll be free to go home, so long as he continues to return for his appointments.”

“I will, Doctor,” Alphonse agreed.

The doctor took his leave then and Ed smiled at Alphonse.  “So no apple pie yet.  I’m sure as soon as the doctor gives you the OK, Winry will come up to Central and make you one.”

“Yeah.  So, any news about Mrs. Bradley?” Alphonse asked as he looked at the baby in Ed’s arms.

His brother’s voice sounded different without the tin can to roll around in and Ed took a moment to appreciate that before he answered.  “No word.  When the fighting was done she was escorted away from the radio station by some soldiers but they haven’t made it back yet.”

“What are you going to do with… the baby?”

They’d already agreed not to call him Selim.  They didn’t know who they could trust and how they could explain it to anyone anyway.  A few people knew, the ones that could be trusted, but when Ed had tried to leave the child with Armstrong, the Briggs general had snapped at him to take care of the child himself.  They had more important things to do.

“I have no idea, Al.  I can’t leave him with just anyone.  I know that Pride is gone, but what if he comes back?  What if part of him remains?”  He sighed.  “I guess I’ll keep him until Mrs. Bradley shows up and someone can explain this to her… somehow.”

“Has a doctor seen to you yet?” Alphonse asked. 

“Yeah.  I tried to get away but Mustang sent Breda to make sure someone grabbed me while the doc was busy with you.”

“And?”

“Fit as a fiddle.”

Alphonse glared at him and Ed smiled.  His brother could glare again!  “Relatively speaking.  Nothing time and sleep won’t heal.  And a reminder to make sure I work my arm gradually to get the muscle back.”

The door opened slowly behind them and Ed turned to see Breda walk into the room.  He smiled at Alphonse.  “Well, Alphonse Elric.  I don’t believe we’ve met in person,” the soldier teased. 

Alphonse beamed at Breda.  “How are you Breda?  How is the team?”

“As well as can be expected.  Hawkeye will make a full recovery.  Mustang checked out and the doctors want to keep a close watch on his eyes.  They seem to think that with no cause for his loss of eyesight it was head trauma and that his eyesight might return.  We know what caused it though and he’s dealing with it as well as can be expected.  Everyone else got out of it with minor injuries.”

“Any word on Mrs. Bradley?” Ed asked.

Breda shook his head.  “Sorry, not yet.  The men should have had her here a long time ago.  Falman took some men from Briggs to see if they can track down her whereabouts.”

“What the hell am I supposed to do with a baby until then?”

“Right.  Mustang wanted to talk to you about that.  You want to see him while I catch up with Alphonse?”

Ed appreciated the fact that Breda was willing to babysit his brother but he really wasn’t sure what to say to Mustang.  It had been a hell of a day.  What do you say to someone after all they went through together?  And after what had been taken so wrongfully from him?  Still, he had a baby in his arms and no idea what to do next.  Mustang was usually good for ideas, if nothing else.  “Yeah, alright.  You good, Al?”

“Of course.  And Brother, be nice to the Colonel.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Ed walked out without waiting to hear his brother say anything more about Mustang.  All Ed really wanted was to fall asleep beside his brother’s bedside, but as usual, there were other things that had to come first.  Like the baby.  The hospital had a small stash of infant care items so he’d been given enough formula and diapers to get him through a few days.  Luckily he’d seen Gracia change enough diapers that he’d been able to figure it out himself.

He walked the short distance down the hallway to where Mustang was rooming.  He smiled at Fuery who quietly nodded him in.

The lights were off in the front area and the curtains were drawn around the bed to give some privacy.  He walked past that to the second bed where he knew Mustang was supposed to be sleeping.  When he looked in, Mustang was sitting up in his bed, his hands on his lap.

He looked peaceful, like he might be in meditation, but Ed knew better.  The baby squirmed in his arms and he shushed him softly, shifting him in his arms slightly.  That seemed to settle him.

“Fullmetal?”

“Not an alchemist anymore.”

“Am I supposed to call you Edward now?” Mustang teased.

“Whatever, Bastard.  Breda sent me over.”

“Yes.  At this point, there has been no word on Mrs. Bradley.  Falman reported in that they found some footprints and were following them , but there was blood and it doesn’t look good.  I think it’s safe to assume the worst.  I know it’s an imposition, but I need you to keep an eye on Selim until we can find someone we trust to take him.”

“Me?”

“Yes.  You’re quite capable of handling him, I’ve been told, and you know exactly what to keep an eye out for.  Everyone else is caught up in the aftermath of the Promised Day or in a hospital bed, and as I know you’ll rightfully be with Alphonse, you could keep an eye on the both of them and free up an extra person in the recovery process by doing so.”

Ed let out a deep breath.  He’d kinda seen this coming earlier when no one had been able to find Mrs. Bradley.    

“I get it, but I can’t exactly keep a baby in the barracks.  I’m not sure how I’m going to deal with Al there.”

“I’ve been giving that some thought as well.  I’m going to be here a while before the doctors finally get it out of their heads that my eyes aren’t going to get better.  They’re of the opinion that I’ll be getting my sight back once I recover from the trauma I didn’t experience.  Hawkeye has started her own campaign to see that I can’t leave until my hands are recovered enough that I can snap again.”

“Good luck with that.  It must suck.”

“The pain?  It’s not that bad now.  My flame alchemy is too dangerous to use without my sight, but at least the gate gave me the ability to use alchemy without a circle.  If nothing else, I have a chance at defending myself is someone were to come after me, no matter what Hawkeye thinks.”

Ed looked over at the bed that was covered from other eyes and wondered if she was awake and listening to them, or if she was truly asleep. 

“So, until you can figure something else out, I thought you could take the baby and Al and stay in my home.  I won’t be there and you need something a little more sustainable.”

“I …” he had no idea what to say to that.   He did need to figure something out but this couldn’t be the answer, could it? 

“Look Fullmetal, my home is close so it won’t be hard for you to bring Al back for his appointments.  I have plenty of guest rooms and a study and library that should keep you occupied if you find the time to get bored.”

“Alright,” he said after a moment.  “But I expect to get paid overtime for watching the baby.”

Mustang let out a soft laugh.  “It’s a baby, Ed, not a battle.”

“Then why don’t you watch the baby!” he said.  As soon as the words were out of his mouth he realized what he’d said.  “I’m sorry.  That was…”

“Insensitive?  That’s quite alright.  If I could I would keep the baby here.  I’m actually quite good with kids.”

Ed believed it actually.  He’d seen Mustang playing with Elysia. 

“It shouldn’t take me too long to find a place for Al and I to stay.”

“Worry about the baby and Al.  There’s no rush, Ed.”

“Yeah.”  The baby seemed content in his arms and he looked at Mustang, able to stare without worrying about what the man would say.  “So what’s next?  For you?”

“I’m not certain, to be honest.  It’s still … a lot to take in.  I need some time to regroup; to figure out how I reach my end goal, but I think I can still move ahead with my ideas to improve Ishval.  I don’t need to see the reconstruction to know what to do.”

Ed nodded, and then realized Mustang couldn’t see it.  “It’s a good start.”  He was saved from having to say anything else as the baby began to squirm in his arms again.  He readjusted the baby and tried to hold back a groan.

“Ed?”

“Sore arm.  The least the Truth could have done was work it out for me while it kept the damn thing.  Its rail thin and already a pain in the ass.”

Mustang smiled slightly.  “Well, then have a seat and let me have the baby.”

“What?”

“I don’t need to be able to see to hold the baby.”

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“The baby, Fullmetal.”

Ed could see the stubborn set of Mustang’s jaw and he sighed.  He brought Selim over to the bed and set him into the Colonel’s waiting arms.  Who immediately proved he knew far more about babies than Ed would have believed.  He cooed softly to the infant, held perfectly in his arms.

“Where’d you learn to do that?” he asked.

“Aunt Chris’s girls.  Even when they left for better pastures, they always came back home to visit.  I was left to babysit plenty of times.  And babies love me.  Yes they do,” he said in a slightly higher voice to the baby. 

And this one, at least, did.  Funny, how the homunculus had tried to kill them and yet in this form, he was truly as innocent as a babe.  And Ed was the reason he was in this defenseless position.  Now he was just an infant with a missing mother and a father that Ed and Mustang had plotted to kill.  He felt the responsibility for the child settle soundly on his shoulders and he took a deep breath as he hopped up on the side of Mustang’s bed and sat facing him and the child.  He reached in and ran a finger gently down the baby’s face.  Selim caught the finger in his tiny grasp and cooed at him. 

“What did you do?” Mustang asked in a quiet voice.

“Just touched his face.  He… uh… grabbed my finger.  He’s got a pretty good grip for a baby.”

Mustang smiled at that.  “Remember to keep your hair at a safe distance.”

Ed laughed lightly, but when he sighed he felt the heaviness of the moment.

“So, this is it,” Mustang said.

“Yeah.  She’s not going to come back.  If she could have, she would have already.  No matter what else was going on, Mrs. Bradley loved her husband and her son.  He’s my responsibility now.”

“You don’t have to do this. I didn’t mean to imply you should keep him permanently.”

“No, I know, but you were right.  We have to have someone who can keep an eye on him, who can look out for the signs of Pride in him.  Maybe it’s still there biding its time to come out again, or maybe raised right, the sin in him will just be the one of many we all face.”

Mustang nodded.  “What will you do?”

Saying it out loud seemed to give him more confidence than it should, but he felt this was something he could do.  “We’ll stay at your place while Al is recovering.  Once he’s strong enough, I’ll take them both back to Resembool.  It’s a good place to start, anyway.”

“What are you going to tell people?”

Ed shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I can’t really tell them the truth, can I?”

“No.  I have people that can make papers work for whatever you want to say.  If you want to claim him as your son, or if you’d prefer to adopt him.”

“Let me think about that one.  It would be easier if people though he was mine, dropped off on my doorstep by some girl, but…”

“But that would mean trouble with your family back in Resembool.”

They both knew he was talking about Winry, but Ed was grateful for the tact.  “It’s a lot of questions I wouldn’t even know how to answer.”

“We can come up with a story together, whatever you decide Ed.  I’m not going to leave you alone to face this burden.”

“I don’t want anyone else to know who he is,” Ed said.  It was about the only thing he knew.  “Your team.  That’s all I trust.  We’re the only ones who know that Selim Bradley didn’t die on the Promised Day.”

“Of course.  I’ll take care of it.”

Ed looked at the baby in Mustang’s arms and let out a deep breath.  He’d thought getting Al back in his body would be the end of it all.  Now, however, he was a teenage parent, raising a child alone.  What the hell was happening in his life?

“Ed, I meant it.  You aren’t alone.  Anything you need, you let me know and I’ll find a way to help.  Even if it’s just an ear to listen.”

“What, are we friends now, Mustang?”

The Colonel tilted his head slightly and tightened his eyes, like he was looking at Ed and measuring him.  “I guess we could try that,” he said after a moment’s deliberation.

Ed let out a laugh.  “That goes both ways, you know?  Being friends?  It means you have to tell me when you need something too.  And I don’t mean the Colonel sending his dog on missions.”

“Touche,” Mustang agreed. 

“I should… probably get back to Al.”

“Of course.  How is he?  The others have kept me up to date on his physical condition, but how is he really?”

“He’s good,” Ed said, unable to control his smile.  Mustang smiled back at him so there must have been something in his voice to show how he was feeling about his brother.  Not that Mustang needed that.  He’d seen Ed at his lowest and he’d known how to push the right buttons to get Ed moving forward.  It had always been Al.

“He’s upset they won’t let him eat whatever he wants, but he always hated being sick as a kid and he remembers that.  I don’t think he’ll ignore the doctors.  He has a long list of things he wants to eat.  I think maybe, once he’s better, I’ll call Gracia and see if she’ll cook for him.  And, you know, I’m sure she’d give me some tips on what to do with a baby.”

Mustang smiled.  “She’s a good source.  She’s an amazing mother.  And an amazing cook.  Al has good taste.”

“Yeah.  OK, so let me have the baby.  I’m going back to sit with Al.  We’ll come check on you tomorrow.”

“I’ll have someone get you a key for my home so you can see it tomorrow.  I’m sure you’d like to get things settled before you bring Al home.  I can make a few calls as well.  Some of Madame’s girls might have old baby things you might need.”

“Thanks… Roy.”

“Anything for a friend,” Mustang said as he handed the baby off. 

Ed took Selim and held him close as the baby squirmed into position on Ed’s shoulder.  “See you in the morning.”

He closed the door softly when he walked out but he was sure in Mustang’s ear it was loud.  He couldn’t imagine what the man was going through.

Fuery looked at him with wide-eyed curiosity.  “How was he?”

“Mustang?  Same ole’ Bastard,” Ed said with a grin.  “You couldn’t tell?”

Fuery let out a deep sigh.  “He doesn’t really let anyone stay in there with him for too long before he sends them off on some errand or other.  He’s keeping to himself mostly, or faking sleep when we come in to visit Hawkeye.  That’s the longest anyone has spent with him since he was brought in.”

Ed nodded.  He’d have to make sure he stopped by more often when the others were around tomorrow just to keep Mustang from accidentally cutting himself off as he dealt with his blindness. 

“He’ll be okay, Fuery.  Just give him some time to deal with what happened.”

“I know.  It’s just good to see he talked to someone.”

Ed found himself speechless so instead of trying to come up with something clever to say, he clapped a hand on Fuery’s shoulder and walked back to Al’s room.  Breda took his leave quickly and Ed sat down next to Al’s bed.

“How is he?”

“Same old Mustang.  He’s going to be fine, Al.  We’re going to move into his place until you’re ready to head back to Resembool.”

“What?”

“He offered, and with the baby, it makes sense.  Can’t exactly take him back to the barracks and it gives us some space to figure this all out.”

“Yeah, I guess.  But what about the Colonel?  What happens when he goes home?”

“I guess, if we’re still there, we’ll be taking care of the Bastard too.”

Al looked at the baby in his arms and looked back at Ed.  “How long are you looking after the baby?”

Ed could see he already knew the answer though.  “Guess I need to find a new name for him.  I can’t call him baby all the time and Selim won’t do.”

Al’s mouth cracked his face almost in two with a yawn and Ed smiled.  “Get some sleep Al.  I’m going to get a bottle for the baby.  He’s been squirming a bit and I think that might be the problem.  I’ll be back in a few.”

Al smiled sleepily before his head even hit the pillow and Ed stared at his brother’s returned body for a few moments before he left the room.  The nurses were a great help getting the baby’s bottle.    A few minutes later he had the baby in his lap, happily sucking down his meal.  The diaper would be after the burping – he’d been well lectured by the nurses every time he went to ask for the supplies they kept at their desk for him until he went home – and then they’d both be able to settle into a chair in Al’s room to get a few hours of sleep.

“So, it’s true.”

Ed looked up to find the Ishvalan called Scar in front of him.  The man looked more at peace than Ed had ever seen him.  There was no malice in his eyes as he looked at Selim but his words meant he knew exactly who he was.  As if the faint mark in the center of his head wasn’t enough for those of them who had fought the homunculus. 

“Yeah.  He’s just a baby now though.”

“You hope.”

Ed shrugged.  “I’ll keep an eye on him to make sure.”

“Really?” Scar asked as he took a seat next to Ed.

“I did this to him.  I made that choice, so he’s my responsibility.”

“What are you calling him?”

Ed sighed.  “I don’t know.  I can’t call him Selim and I can’t call him Pride.  I haven’t thought that far ahead.”

Scar nodded as he looked at the baby, feeding quietly in Ed’s lap.  “He’s grown considerably already, hasn’t he?”

Ed nodded.  He knew Scar had seen Pride’s original form and how small he had been when Ed retrieved him from the ruins of Father’s lair.  After he’d fed him he’d started to grow.  In a couple hours he’d grown to the size of a normal child.  “He seemed to stop once he reached the size of a normal kid.  No other growth and no other oddities.”

“Yet.”

“Exactly.”

Scar humphed softly then looked across the hall at the wall.  “They say that the opposite of pride is humility.  Usain.  It means humble.”

Ed smiled because it was as close to approval as Scar was going to give.  It was a peace offering as well and Ed was relieved by it.  “Usain Elric.  I like it.”

“You know of Mustang’s plans?”

“I know the general idea,” Ed said cautiously.

Scar nodded as he stood.  “I will be seeing you around then, Edward Elric.  Take care of yourself and your brother.  And, your son.”

Ed watched Scar walk away and was hit with the reality of his words.  Though he had already decided on this course of action, he hadn’t said it aloud. 

“Usain Elric,” he said as the nipple of the bottle feel from the baby’s lips and he yawned.  “My son.”

 

***

 

Time certainly never felt like it was on his side, Ed thought as he yawned in the morning light.  He could sleep in, he knew.  He could catch the later train.  However. 

“Daddy!  Tome on!  Auntie Winry says we’re dunna be late!”

Ed moaned as he turned onto his back and looked up at Usain.  Almost three and with far more energy than any one person should have.  The first time Ed had voiced that opinion, Granny had nearly laughed herself sick.  When he yelled at her, she said something about pay backs and left him to deal with his overly energetic boy.

“Alright, alright.  I’m coming.”                                                                         

“He tame!”

“What?” Ed jumped out of bed so fast he had to grab Usain to keep him from falling.  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Jus Did!” Usain said with a giggle.

Ed sighed as he quickly went about his morning ablutions.  Usain was already dressed and no doubt had his teeth brushed.  Al was sure to have been up hours ago.  He hadn’t waited until the last minute to pack so he’d gone to sleep hours before Ed.  And he’d taken the opportunity to steal his nephew for the night to snuggle with since they’d be separated for so long.

It was going to be hard on Usain, but Ed knew they were doing the right thing.  Besides, Ed loved to travel and it was time Usain got the feel of it.  Hopefully, he loved it as much as his old man.

“Shirt!  Shirt!” Usain called out as Ed slid into his brown slacks.  His son had grabbed his white shirt and held it up for him. 

“Thanks, bud,” he said as he pressed a kiss to his raven hair.  His bangs were cut long to hide the faint mark that had once been all too obvious.  Now it was nearly invisible unless you went looking for it. 

He threw the shirt on quickly, followed by a brown waistcoat.  He carefully rolled his sleeves up and added sleeve garters.  It wouldn’t take long on the train before Ed would either be elbow deep in reading or in running after his toddler so he tried to be ready.

“Do I look presentable?” he asked as he pulled his hair back into a ponytail.

“Buful!”

“Handsome,” Ed corrected.  “Girls are beautiful.  Boys are handsome.”

“Daddy is buful!”

Ed gave up as he grabbed Usain and propped him up on his hip to carry him downstairs for breakfast.  He didn’t know why Al dressed him so nicely before food.  He had to change him after almost every meal.  He didn’t know how he’d become such a messy eater.

The kitchen was far louder than usual, and that was saying something with three Elrics living under the roof.  When he opened the door he was greeted with a chorus of good mornings.  Mustang’s entire team was around the kitchen table.

“Daddy?” Usain asked as he hid his face in Ed’s neck.

“You getting shy on me now, Buddy?”

“Can’t imagine what would cause that.”

Ed smiled because then Usain pushed away from him and reached so hard for Mustang that he barely kept him from falling. 

“Untle Musang!”

The General had his son in his arms and was halfway across the room before Ed had time to take a breath.

“Morning to you too, Mustang.”

“Ed,” he said without looking at him.  He was whispering softly to Usain who was more than happy to have his Uncle Mustang’s attention. 

“Take the time to eat while you can,” Al advised as he looked at the two fondly.

Leaving Resembool to go abroad wasn’t hard, not near as hard as it had been to leave Central after six months of living in Mustang’s house.  Ed had become used to the man in his life, and in his son’s.  Now they saw each other whenever they could and Usain had always been the common denominator that made their friendship work. 

“How is the Ishvalan?” Ed asked as he scooped food onto his plate, watching as Mustang got one for Usain who was still held in one arm. 

“He and Miles are on their way to Central City for a meeting with the Fuhrer.”

“Is that why you and your team raided my house today?”

“We had to have a proper good-bye, didn’t we?” Mustang asked Usain.

The boy nodded.  “And presents.”

Ed rolled his eyes.  “You didn’t.”

“Who said anything about me?”

Usain giggled and Ed couldn’t help but smile.  “Who else spoils him rotten?”

“Alphonse,” Mustang correctly reminded him.

“Don’t remind me.”

They parted ways and Ed was happy enough to eat his breakfast and catch up with the others while Mustang wrangled his son to eat his food without covering his clothes. 

He pointed his fork at Mustang and glared.  “It’s not fair that you can do that.”

Mustang looked up at Ed with a knowing smirk on his face.  “He simply eats by example, Fullmetal.  Which is why he is such a good eater with me, and such a pig with you and Al.”  He looked at Usain who was grinning.  “Right?”

“Yes!”

“I’ve been betrayed by my own son,” Ed complained but no one took him seriously.  His friends all sucked.

“At least we won’t have to change him before the train.  Count your blessings, Brother.  It took Winry and I twenty minutes to get him to put his pants on.”

Ed laughed as he tucked in and finished his breakfast.  He hadn’t expected the visit from Mustang’s team to send him off on his way, but he welcomed it anyway.  He knew they’d keep a subtle eye on Granny and Winry and that they’d be in good hands.  

Mustang would keep an ear on the ground for Alphonse as well and he was in a far better position to actually help if something did happen to his brother. Not that he anticipated any trouble.  All their correspondence with Mei and her clan was extremely positive.  They were thrilled to have Alphonse come to lean alchehestry and to teach them alchemy.  
  
Plus it was nice to see the team in person for a few minutes.  In the two years since he had moved from Central there had been constant goings and comings from the various team members. Anytime anyone was close to Resembool they stopped in for a visit.  Ed and Al had taken Usain to visit them in Central City and in Ishval multiple times.  As much as Ed teased about teaching his son the wandering life, Usain was already well versed in the art of train travel.  
  
They spent more time than they should, sitting around the table and catching up with the others, so much so that they really were in jeopardy of being late.  
  
“This always happens with you, Brother,” Alphonse said with a sigh.  
  
“You can catch a ride with us,” Mustang said with a smile.  
  
“You planned this!” Ed accused.  
  
Mustang smiled.  “We’re all heading out on the same train. We left the Ishvalan and Miles to head back before us. And once we get in to Central, we’ll get Alphonse to his meeting with Jerso and Zamboni.”  
  
Ed shook his head. “I should have known you were up to something when you showed up this morning.”  
  
He didn’t protest as Havoc came over and took his bag and loaded it in the back of the car though.  
  
“We’re heading the same way, at least until Central. I figured a small delay in Resembool wouldn’t be remiss.  And who knows how long it will be before I see Usain again.”  
  
Ed laughed at that. For all their misgivings in the early days, his son had turned into a sweet boy who was mischievous and playful but had not a deceitful bone in his body.  At 16, Ed hadn’t known how to handle a child. At 19, he couldn’t imagine his life without his son.  
  
And with that transition had come his friendship with Mustang.  Usain was their common ground but once they had been living under a roof together Ed had realized they had far more to talk about than just the child. Mustang kept his fingers in the alchemy circles far more than Ed had realized before the Promised Day. He was also well traveled from his own days as a simple dog of the military, before promotions had taken him from the field.  
  
They were well matched in reasoning and point of view and where Ed sometimes made leaps of intuition, Mustang had years of experience on him.  He also had an adaptability that matched Ed’s own, based on his expertise in a branch of alchemy that was entirely dependent on being able to make split second adjustments to account for environmental changes that would make most alchemists shrivel up and cower.  
  
And he never backed down, not from a fight or an opinion. He could be brought around to see reason but he never agreed just to placate.  If Ed won a fight with Mustang, it was well earned. 

Their bags were quickly loaded into the cars and they made their good-byes to Winry and Granny.  Al promised to write and Ed promised to call.  If he’d been on his own he knew he would rarely have made the effort, but with Usain he would make the time.  His son was ready for an adventure but Ed knew the comfort of a familiar voice over the line.

At the train station they were quickly settled into their train cars.  Alphonse ran off to hit the food train before they’d even left, along with Breda and Fuery for company.  Falman was walking the train to see if there were any problems.  Hawkeye said she had work to do, pointedly looking at a briefcase that Mustang had with him, before she disappeared into the train compartment beside them where Havoc had already fallen asleep.  Usain stared out the window and Ed watched quietly as the train pulled away from Resembool to take him away from the place he sometimes called home. 

“Is it so different now, leaving Resembool behind?” Mustang asked.  It wasn’t the General speaking now though, and with just them in the train compartment, Ed was left alone with the man he would never admit out loud had become his best friend.

“Yes and no, I guess.  When I left the first time, we burnt our house down so we didn’t have a home to go back to, but even then I knew that Granny was waiting for us.  There was nothing for us anywhere and I had Al at my back.  Now?  I knew Resembool wouldn’t be home forever.  It was a good place to get back on our feet and to figure out what we were going to do next, to move on from all the pain and hurt of those days, but it was never permanent.  We’ll always have Granny and Winry, but there’s also always Teacher and Sig out in Dublith, and Ling and Mei in Xing.  We have the men of Briggs and Miles and the Ishvalan in Ishval.  We’ve made so many friends in so many places in our travels.  There isn’t just one place to return back to.”

“I noticed you left something out.”

“Not really.  Those places, they’re places we can return to if we need someplace.  Central is home though for me.  And you’ll find a way to make me say this so I’ll get it out of the way.  Your place is home.  You gave me and Al and Usain a place when we really needed it.  When I didn’t even realize how much we needed it.  You helped me when I didn’t have a clue what I was doing and …”

“Ed, you know my home is always yours.  You and Usain.  And Al.  You were saddled with a lot on the Promised Day and I never wanted you to feel like you were alone with it all.”

“I didn’t.  Even blind you were a pain in my ass, always telling me how to do things better,” Ed teased.

“Musang?  Blind?”

Usain threw himself at Mustang with his arms open wide, expecting to be caught, which he dutifully was.  The boy buried his head in Mustang’s neck and held tight.

“Sorry.  Some kids at the playground were playing Promised Day,” Ed explained.  It was common for the little ones now.  They didn’t understand it but they enacted what their older siblings did.  “One of them wanted to play the Blind Mustang,” he sighed.  “He came home upset and we had a long talk about it.  Guess he forgot about it until now.”

Mustang was rubbing Usain’s back and making soothing noises into the child’s hair.  He was good with Usain.  Too good sometimes, Ed thought. 

Because when Ed thought about his life, about a future where he might find someone to help him raise Usain, there was really only one person who came to mind.  Someone that he had no business thinking of like that.

Except he had opened his home to Ed time and again, to his brother, and he’d given Usain a part of his heart that Ed didn’t know how to interpret. 

Which was why he had grudgingly allowed Mustang the title of best friend in his head and stopped any further thought.  Of anything.  Ever. 

 “Remember what we said, Usain?  Mustang got his sight back, right?  That was a long time ago.”

Usain nodded but he kept his face buried.  Mustang smiled at Ed and he left his son where he was.  He wasn’t crying but Ed knew how close he was to his ‘Uncle’. 

“When you and your Dad get settled, you’ll have to call me and send me some pictures.  Do you think you could draw me pictures of the place you’ll be living when you get there and send them to me?” Usain nodded and Mustang kissed the top of his head.  “And you know you can call whenever you want.  Not even Hawkeye would get mad at me for talking on the phone with you.”

Usain looked up and gave Mustang a small grin.  “Auntie Hawteye loves me.”

Mustang nodded.  “Yes, she does.  They all do.  It can be a nuisance at work when they won’t stop talking about you.  It’s embarrassing.”

Usain laughed then and Ed knew they were out of the woods for now.  He had no doubt it would come up again and he’d have to deal with it, but for today they were fine.

“You’re worse than the rest of them.  In fact, I have it on good authority that you’re a bit like Hughes with your pictures.”

“Who would dare?  No one could spin a story and picture like Maes.” 

Ed figured there would never be a time when Mustang didn’t look a little sad when he talked about Maes Hughes but he understood.  There were things Ed would never get over, no matter how much time had passed.   “You have a wall covered in Usain’s drawings.”

“Not a whole wall,” Mustang commented.  He looked at Usain then.  “You really need to get on that.  My walls need updated.”

Usain gasped and jumped down from Mustang’s lap and clambered back to his seat where Ed had papers and crayons in a bag for him.  He shook his head as his son began to draw.

Ed turned his attention back to the landscape and watched it go by.  He could feel Mustang’s eyes on him but it was a comfort. 

“You could stay in Central a few days, you know,” Mustang said softly.

Ed glared at him because he didn’t want to deal with that conversation with Usain, but he realized his son had fallen asleep on the bench where he’d been drawing.  He needed to ask Al how early his son had woken him in his excitement this morning.

“If I stop at Central, I’ll never leave,” he said instead.  “And I need to get out.  I need to find something to ground myself in.  Not having … I always thought I knew where I would be, you know?  After I got Al’s body back I would be an alchemist and figure out what area to study in and I’d be completely fulfilled by it, you know?  But now, I have Usain, but no alchemy.  I have to find something to define myself besides being his dad.”

“You know you’re always welcome back on the team.”

“I know.  But you have plenty of people doing what they are really good at.  And I was really good too.  But I was the team alchemist and I wouldn’t even know where to fit in without it right now.  Maybe someday… just … not yet.  But thanks for the offer, Roy.”

“You will keep in touch, won’t you?” Mustang asked.  “Not just Usain?  You have friends who would like to hear your voice every now and again too.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he teased.  “Such a nagging wife.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have to nag if you’d just call home once in a while.”

“Bastard.”

“Brat.”

They fell into silence after that, and Ed was smiling the rest of the ride to Central.

 

*** 

Their departure at Central was teary eyed.  Al was by far the worst and Breda and Havoc had to help him away from his nephew with promises of long phone calls and letters and Havoc had the brilliant thought to suggest Alphonse could teach Usain the Xingese language in his letters.  His brother perked up right after that. 

Usain cried at the departure but he was excited as well.  They all promised letters and phone calls and presents sent to wherever they landed.  Finally it was just Mustang as the train called for final boarding to take them on the next leg of their journey.

Usain threw his arms around Mustang’s neck and sobbed into his collar.  Both men tried to sooth him but it had been this way every time they parted ways with Mustang.  Normally they shared smiles over his son’s head, but today Mustang was looking a little misty eyed himself.

“Don’t even pretend you aren’t trying to figure out ways to make official state visits wherever we land,” Ed said to Mustang when he got Usain to finally let go.

“Visit?” Usain asked, looking a little more excited by that idea.

“I’ll try,” Mustang said.  “So you’ll have to learn all the best places to take me, if I can make it.  And you call me whenever you want, remember that.”

“Alright, Buddy, go get your seat.”

Usain ran back into their compartment and Ed was alone with Mustang.  “You’re sure you can handle Al?” he asked.

Mustang smiled.  “I’m sure now that he’s off the train he’s fine.  He’s the only person I’ve ever met whose wanderlust was almost as strong as yours.”

“Yeah, well, we had a lot of roads to cover back in those days.  A lot to cover now, too.”

“Just… know that you have something to come home to, Ed.”

“I know.  And Usain-”

“No.  Ed.  You.  You have something to come home to.  If you want it.” 

Before Ed could figure out what Mustang was talking about, the older man pulled Ed closer and brushed his lips over Ed’s.  Ed gasped and Mustang pressed their lips together in a firmer kiss.  There was passion in it, but mostly it was a promise being offered and Ed had no idea what to do about that. 

“Just, think about it.” Mustang said before he stepped away.  He stopped before he left the train and looked back at Ed.  “Don’t forget to call when you get settled in some place.”

“I won’t,” Ed reassured Mustang, but his heart was beating so damn hard he wasn’t sure if he said the words aloud or not.  Mustang disappeared off the train and Ed stared after him until the doors were shut.

He went back to the compartment with Usain and his son was staring out the window, waving at the people they were leaving behind.  Al’s eyes were red rimmed but he was no longer crying as he stood right in front of Usain’s window and made faces at him.  Ed let out a small laugh at that but then he looked up and found the team.  They all waited patiently for Alphonse to get a last goodbye to his nephew and Ed was grateful to them, once again, for the care they showed him.

His eyes met Mustang’s across the platform and Ed’s heart swooped down again.  He had to swallow a lump in his throat and when Mustang gave a small, almost nervous wave, Ed returned it.

“Daddy!”  Usain called out and Ed looked away from Mustang to his son.  “Up, Daddy!  Can’t see Untle Musang!”

Ed picked him up and he saw that Alphonse had joined the others.  They waved and there was genuine affection when Mustang smiled at his son.  Ed kissed Usain’s temple as he watched the others fall away from their sight, and wondered what the hell he was supposed to do now.

***

 

It took five years for Edward Elric to find his way back home.  The second year he’d been gone, he’d gotten a letter from Alphonse with a newspaper clipping.  Someone back in Amestris had decided to give the survivors of the Promised Day a storybook telling.  Weekly novelizations of their exploits began to hit the press, and from what Breda said, the Fuhrer had approved of it and even quoted it a few times in his speeches.   The Fullmetal Alchemist, the Flame Alchemist, and the Armored Alchemist – the title Alphonse had been given by the writer since Al had decided not to become a State Alchemist – were household names.  It wasn’t the full truth of the events of the day but it was what the public had accepted as the truth.    

Mustang’s popularity had gone through the roof and his appointment as the next Fuhrer seemed a sure thing.  He still claimed he had nothing to do with the stories, though his detractors blamed him entirely for it.

Ed didn’t think Mustang had anything to do with it though.  Mustang was the Hero of Ishval and the Patron of the Promised Day, a man who saw more blood on his hands than he could ever wash clean.  If Mustang was behind the stories, he would barely make a footnote, leaving others to take the glory of his deeds in those days.

Even in Aerugo, he’d learned not to tell people his given call name as a state alchemist.  With Fuhrer Grumman at the head of the Amestris government, peace had settled between Amestris and her neighbors.  Parts of Aerugo had been caught up in the nationwide transmutation circle that Father had built so the stories of the Promised Day were extremely popular.  Ed had moved Usain out of more than one school when it became obvious they were giving him different treatment because of who his father was. 

Al was in Central City, working as a contractor for the military.  He refused to work for the military after everything they had gone through, but his work in healing with alchemy and alchehestry was revolutionary and while he kept pushing his research, he’d also begun to train a handful of young alchemists in the art of healing. 

He had a large home, big enough for his brother and nephew, Alphonse reminded him plenty over the last year, but when Ed made his plans to come home he had always known where he’d land.  He hadn’t even asked, actually.  He’d just sent a postcard with the time of their arrival. 

Ed knew when the winter came that he’d miss the warm weather of Aerugo and the airy buildings with their magnificent architecture and art, but late summer in Amestris was his favorite place to be. 

“Now?”

Ed sighed as he looked down at Usain.  “Does it look like the train has stopped yet?”

“Daaaaad!  It’s really slow.  I could wait at the door.”

“Usain, I told you, I don’t even know if anyone is going to be here to pick us up.”

Usain rolled his eyes at him and Ed shook his head.  He had no idea where the boy got his stubbornness.  He blamed that on Mustang’s early influence and his continued phone calls. 

His son didn’t ask if he could go to the door again though, so Ed counted that as a win.  Though as soon as the train did stop, he didn’t grab for him quick enough and the 7 year old was out of the compartment and off the train before Ed could stop him.  He grabbed both their bags and pushed his way through to the door, only to stop as soon as he reached open air. 

Usain had run right off the train and into the arms of his Uncle Mustang.  To his right Al caught Ed’s eyes and he was suddenly engulfed in his brother’s arms.  “Al,” he said softly in his brother’s ear.

His brother held him even tighter for a moment and when he pulled back his eyes were red rimmed.

“Oh, don’t you start crying on me now, Al.  I just got home.  I’m not going anywhere.”

“It’s so good to see you Brother!” Al said with a large smile.  His brother staggered to the side suddenly and Ed laughed as he looked down to see Usain with his arms wrapped around Al’s legs.  “Nephew!”  He was picked up and hoisted into the air.  Ed laughed to see it, then looked over at Mustang who was waiting to the side.

“Edward, it’s good to have you back in Amestris,” he said as he came closer.

Ed embraced him, not exactly the response that Mustang was expecting from the way he’d seen the man start to offer his hand, but when Ed pulled him close, Mustang’s arms wrapped around him as tight as Al’s had.  “It’s good to be home,” he said softly.

When he stepped back Mustang smiled, before he started to grab Ed’s bags.  Al took one and Ed took a moment to lecture his son about running off the train without him. 

He knew it fell on deaf ears when Usain just huffed.  “I told you he’d be here.”

“You know, Brother, you should never argue with someone who happens to be right.”

“I blame all his bad habits on you, Alphonse.”

“No you don’t.  You tell everyone its Uncle Mustang’s fault,” Usain corrected

“I’ve changed my mind.  Today, it’s all Alphonse’s.”

“I’ll take it,” Alphonse said with a grin. 

“I don’t know why you’d blame me.  He is always a model child when I’m around,” Mustang claimed.

“What about the time you taught him to make water fountains out of the pond,” Ed asked.

“It was an exercise in elemental control in alchemy and he did beautifully.”

“He went to school and made fountains out of the water bowls they set out in the playground for stray cats.”

Mustang smiled as he set Ed’s bag in the trunk of the car.  “Oh, yes, I do remember you telling me that.  But he was with you and not me when he did that.  So I maintain my innocence.”

“What about the time when we were all in Drachma and you made the slide for him?” Al asked.

“How was he unruly?”

“He made tunnels through the snow and didn’t tell anyone, then made us all go down in slides at once.  And we all went different ways and landed in snow piles.”

“That was playing in the snow.  No harm in that,” Mustang ruffled Usain’s hair and the boy gleamed at him.

“I changed my mind.  Alphonse, I’m moving in with you and leaving Usain to his Uncle Mustang.”

Alphonse laughed with him at the twin pouts on Mustang and Usain’s faces.

“Fine,” Mustang said as he opened the back door for Usain to get in the car.  “I guess I’ll have to keep all the books you’ve been stockpiling in my library for myself.”

“You wouldn’t,” Ed gasped.

“Oh, I would.  There are some incredibly rare and expensive books you and Al have sent my way over the years.  I would daresay I have the most expensive private library in all of Amestris by now.”

“We didn’t send that many books, did we?” Ed asked.

He looked at Alphonse who shrugged his shoulders, but there was a pink tint on his cheeks that showed that they probably had.

“To be honest, we’ve never really spent money on anything other than books and Usain.”

Ed sighed.  “Alright, I guess I have to stay.  I can’t be too far away from the books now that I got this close to them.”

Mustang smiled as he got in the driver’s seat and Ed took the door opposite to sit in the front beside him.  It wasn’t a long drive and Alphonse kept a running dialogue of what had changed and what hadn’t since Ed had last been to Central City.  He and Usain had never made it back to Central, though they’d been to Resembool twice.  Once Mustang got things settled in Ishval he’d been tasked by the Fuhrer to more diplomatic missions and Ed and Usain had travelled to the team wherever they were.  Usain had loved it.  Though they spent little time in Drachma, they had lived long enough in Creta and Aerugo for them both to pick up the language and the local culture.  Usain loved showing off for Mustang and the team. 

Now, his son was soaking in the area and listening to Alphonse’s stories of places they’d gone when they’d been in Central before.

They pulled up in front of the house and Ed jumped out, taking in the sight of the building for the first time in five years.  Usain didn’t remember it, but Alphonse had sent a handful of photos a few years back of Mustang with this team at the house.  They’d been helping to renovate the library since Mustang claimed it was far too small the way it was.  If Ed was right, Usain still had the photos tucked away in one of his books.

The front didn’t look any different and Ed smiled.  When he felt Usain tug his hand he looked down at the boy and frowned at the tears that filled his eyes.  “Usain?” he asked quietly.

He buried his face in Ed’s waist and wrapped his arms around him.  When he spoke his voice was almost reverent.  “Daddy,” he called him by the title that only came out when he was feeling his most vulnerable.  Ed bent and picked his boy up until he had his arms wrapped around him properly. 

When he pressed a kiss to Usain’s temple, the boy finally spoke again.  “Daddy, we made it home.”

He felt devastated at the words but when Usain pulled away, the tears on his face weren’t the sad ones he’d expected.  His face was full of joy and Ed wondered then if the last five years had been a huge mistake.

“Where’s my room?” He asked as he pushed out of Ed’s arms and ran up the walkway.

Alphonse joined his nephew at the door and opened it while Ed stared after them.  When he looked over at Mustang he saw the same look on the other man’s face. 

Mustang took a step closer and Ed gave a shake of his head.  He wasn’t even sure what Mustang was going to say but he couldn’t deal with it yet.     

“Where should I put my things?” he asked as he grabbed his bag from where Mustang had set it on the curb. 

“You do remember where your room is, right?”

“You moving me back in?”

“I never moved you out, Ed,” Mustang said with a sigh.  “I did turn Al’s old room in Usain’s though.  And I added a connecting door between them that I thought you might appreciate.”

He would feel humbled by the thoughtfulness if he wasn’t already so overwhelmed by his son’s words.

“Come on, before Usain decides to investigate and we lose him,” Mustang said, breaking the silence.

Mustang took Usain’s bag in and Ed followed.  When he stepped into the house, it was to a sense of nostalgia.  Nothing in the front foyer had changed and from a quick look down the hall nothing had changed there either.  On closer inspection some of the photos had been swapped out with newer ones.  There was a photo of the team in Ishval with Miles and the Ishvalan.  There was a photo of Falman at Briggs and Fuery with Ed and Usain when he’d visited Aerugo a couple years back.   There was a photo of Alphonse on his graduation day with Mustang and then photos of Ed and Usain in their various adventures. 

When he went up the stairs to his old room, it had been cleaned and aired out, but nothing had been moved since he’d left.  He’d always known Mustang would leave it for him, but it was different to see the truth of it.  He set his bag on the bed and took it all in.

A moment later, a door on the other wall opened and Ed heard Usain laughing through it.  Mustang smiled.  “The bed is appropriately bouncy by Usain and Alphonse’s standards.”

Ed walked into the other room and found himself slightly surprised.  He knew he shouldn’t be.  He knew how important Usain had become to Mustang.  He just had never pictured it showing in this way.  The room was brightly lit with a small writing desk and a bookcase close to a window to give plenty of light during the day.  It overlooked the gardens, which he must have found someone to look after because Mustang’s deadly thumbs when it came to gardening were well known.  The book shelf was full of basic alchemy texts and school books, alongside age appropriate fictions, including Usain’s favorites; the novelized version of those newspaper stories from years back. 

Around the rest of the room were trinkets and toys that had been left behind here and there over the years as well as more modern ones.  And one wall was covered in photos that Ed and Al had been sending back to Mustang over the years. 

“You can change it however much you want, Usain,” Mustang said as he came up beside the jumping boy.  “I thought the photos of all the places you’ve visited might make it feel more like home while you get used to it here.”

The boy grinned as he jumped into Mustang’s arms and laughed.  “Can I go outside?”

“Alphonse?” Mustang asked.

“Come on; let me show you the whole house.  The study is over there and the library right across from it.  If you ever lose your Dad, that’s where he’ll be,” Alphonse said as he led Usain out of the room. 

“I don’t know how to repay you for this,” Ed said honestly.  “He’s never said anything about missing a home, but the way he reacted when we got here…”

“Ed, he loves traveling.  He’s certainly picked up his wanderlust from you and Alphonse, but that doesn’t mean he can’t want a home too.  He can have both.  You always have.”

It was as close to mentioning the kiss as they’d ever gotten.  Five years and Ed still didn’t know how to address that particular fantasy.  He didn’t even have to fool himself into thinking Mustang might be interested in him.  He’d made it clear as day, but Ed had needed to be out in the world and now he wasn’t sure where to even begin to decipher his feelings for Mustang.  Desire hung too strongly between them, as did the love of his son.

“So you going to show me this impressive library you built, or what?”

“I had hoped to get food into the three of you before I lost you to it, but so be it,” Mustang teased as he led Ed out of the room. 

Ed knew that when Mustang had bought the place he had planned to be able to entertain here.  He’d had plenty of guest rooms and a formal dining room.  It was part of politics to make certain he could give off the right impression.  Over the years, it had become more of a home than a showcase and the people that mattered in his life decorated the walls now, in big and small ways.  Photos of the team hung beside a Creta tapestry that Ed had sent.  A Xingese vase was held in an alcove next to a drawing of the team having a snowball fight in Drachma that Usain had drawn.

The study was the last door on the left and Ed peeked his head in to see it was much the way he’d left it.  There were two desks in the room that were both cluttered.  When Ed looked at Mustang he smiled.  “Alphonse still leaves a mess when he comes to visit.  I’m always afraid to put something away because I can never decipher what he’s actually using and what’s been discarded as useless.”

And, again, he knew that Alphonse used Mustang’s library and study but to see it like this hit home again.  Alphonse had his own home in Central City, but Mustang had become family.  Alphonse treated this as his second home and he knew Mustang encouraged it. 

“Here is where I’ll lose you,” Mustang’s smile grew even larger as he opened the door across from the study. 

Ed had expected one room full of bookcases.  He was sorely mistaken.  “What did you do?” he asked.

“We took out two of the guest rooms up here and added them to the library.  There are a set of tables at each end but knowing your preference to read on a couch, there are two of them throughout as well.”

“Why?” He couldn’t say the words.  He wasn’t even sure he knew what he was asking.

“I had a number of books that I had in storage with Madame Christmas and when you and Al started to send books back this way it seemed it was time to expand.  It’s come in quite handy over the years actually.  Last year when they kept bugging my office we brought all the real work back here and were able to get quite a bit done without anyone the wiser.”

“This is insane,” he said in awe.

“I was teasing about the expense of the library before, but I can say without a doubt that there are more Xerxian texts here than anywhere else in the world.  I’ve had a number of scholars ask to see some of them over the last two years.  Alphonse has been very patient in overseeing them.”

“You’re forgetting the medicinal texts as well,” Alphonse pointed out as he and Usain came forward with an armful of books each.  “Just put them on the table.  We’ll come back after we’re done outside and take a look, alright?”

“Dad! You should see this!  It’s like the best bookstore ever, but it’s all mine!”

“Mustang’s,” Ed corrected him but Usain knew as well as Ed did that Mustang would let him do whatever he wanted.

“What did you find, Usain?” Mustang asked as he looked at the titles the boy had chosen. 

Ed wasn’t at all surprised to find texts on biological alchemy. 

“You might want to warn your gardeners now.  Usain has recently gotten into agricultural alchemy.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard of that, Brother,” Alphonse said.

“Nope.  That’s because Usain decided all the stuff you do with medical alchemy could be used in the same way to help plants grow.  Usain is going to feed the world with alchemy and grow gardens in the desert.”

“I am not!” He defended himself.  “That would defeat the point, Dad!  You can’t grow plants where they don’t want to grow.  You have to help them find the right places!”

Ed winked at Alphonse and his brother laughed.  “That’s amazing, Usain!  Come down to the garden and let me see what you’ve been practicing.”

They ran off, leaving Ed behind again.

“I have a feeling if I don’t get used to running I’ll never see my son again.”

“You didn’t already have that feeling?”

Ed conceded the point.  His son was far too high energy to be able to stay still for too long.  Unless there was food or a good book involved.

Mustang hurried out the room and down the stairs to follow Usain and Alphonse out into the garden in the back.

Ed stayed where he was for a moment before he went back through the study to look out the window to the yard.  He watched Alphonse chasing his son around the grounds before Mustang joined in.  The two ran some much needed energy out of his son. 

Ed watched the way the three of them interacted.  It was obvious as Alphonse stepped closer to say something to Mustang that the two had developed an even stronger relationship since Ed had left.  Al had said more than once that Mustang had helped him get through some obstacle or other, using his name and influence to push aside barriers to his studies and his desire to teach healing to the young.  Now, the military had fully trained medic alchemists.

When Ed looked at the desk behind him, he’d seen a photo of Alphonse and Mustang at some political event.  Ed knew about it because Al had helped Mustang out with a Xingese diplomat that had been playing hard to get.  Al’s relationship with Ling and Mei had helped overcome the tension and Mustang had made headway on a political situation he’d thought had been coming to a dead end.    

He sighed as he looked down on his family.

What the hell was he even fighting this for anymore?

Right.  He was fighting because whatever else this was, it was a terrible idea for Mustang’s career aspirations.  Ed wasn’t a diplomat and he wasn’t someone to parade along on Mustang’s arm at military functions.  A relationship between Ed and Mustang would come with a child out of wedlock and a barely accepted discrepancy to societal mores.  It would bring back to life unfounded rumors and conversation about the age gap between them.  Mustang might be willing to put years of work in danger for this thing between them, but Ed couldn’t let him.

God, he wanted to though.

He really should have moved in with his brother.  Staying here was an exercise in masochism. 

But there were things here that he missed more than anything.  He missed walking into the kitchen in the morning and finding Mustang half alive, still in his pajamas, hair sleep-mussed, sipping his first cup of coffee.  He missed walking into Usain’s room at night to find Mustang reading to him.  He missed Mustang ordering out because he’d come home from work and found Ed and Alphonse too caught up in research to have started dinner.  

He missed nights in front of the fire, arguing old texts and new techniques.

He missed the nights of teaching the old dogs new tricks, as he’d taught Mustang to expand on his ability to perform circleless transmutations, and Mustang had reminded him that even without his alchemy he still had something to contribute. 

He missed the quiet nights, when Mustang had been sightless and Ed had read the newspaper to him or Ishvalan texts.  When Mustang would slip his hand up Ed’s arm to be guided from room to room until he’d learned how to navigate on his own.

He missed the quiet confessions in the dark, their fears of the days that had passed and what was to come.  He missed the upturned tilt of Mustang’s chin when Dr. Knox had shown up after Havoc had finally been healed and he used the philosopher’s stone to heal him.  

Ed missed this home.  He missed Mustang in his life.  In their lives. 

 

***

 

After Al left, Ed made Usain get in the bath as he emptied his son’s luggage.  They’d lived out of their bags for long enough now that it was odd to be unpacked.  Even the places they’d stayed at long enough to fill the closets had still been temporary and they’d both known it. 

Once he was finished he used the shared door and went into his own room and opened his bag.  He took his time to look around the room and remember the random things he’d left behind; a picture of him, Al, and Winry from childhood and one of Roy in the hospital before his eyesight had been restored.  Ed had been perched on the side of the bed while Roy held Usain and someone had caught them mid-conversation.  A few books were strewn across the room in random places and he picked them up to see the titles.   

In the other room, Ed heard his son running across the floor to jump into his new bed.  He also heard Mustang’s voice behind him.  It was quiet laughter and then the familiar cadence of a book being read.  He was certain he’s spent more money on phone calls to Mustang at bedtime than he had on lodgings over the past five years.  The last six months they’d been renting a small apartment that had a phone and the calls were killing him.  Usain had gotten spoiled with Mustang’s voice over the other end of the line at bedtime, reading him stories.  Ed wouldn’t lie and say he hadn’t gotten spoiled by it either.  More than once he’d nearly fallen asleep, curled up beside his son with Mustang’s voice calmly speaking over the receiver.

When the voice next door died down, Ed glanced in the room to find Mustang tucking Usain in.  His son was already asleep as Mustang pressed a kiss to his temple then retreated.  Ed ran a hand over Usain’s cheek and smiled at the contended sigh his son released.  He kissed his forehead, then stepped out of the room and into his own.

He hadn’t expected Mustang to be waiting for him but he should have.  Ed closed the door behind him and when he tilted his head to the right and gestured, Mustang walked out into the hall and Ed followed.  When were downstairs and made it into the front room, Mustang snapped his fingers to start a small fire. 

Ed took a seat on the couch and a moment later, Mustang pressed a tumbler into his hand.   He’d gotten used to Aerugo wines in the last two years but he sipped the brandy in his hand and sighed.  Of all the things he missed about being home, Mustang’s liquor cabinet might be on the top 5. 

Mustang took a seat beside him a moment later and they sat in companionable silence as Ed finished his drink.  He noticed that Mustang mostly swirled it around, meaning there was something on his mind. 

“Might as well get it out now, Mustang,” Ed said softly.  “It’s only going to keep eating at you until you do and we both know it.”

“What are your plans, now that your back home?”

It was a safer topic than whatever Mustang had in mind but Ed was willing to give him the time until he was ready to segue into it.  “I’ve got all the texts and scrolls that Al and I have been collected about Xerxes to start working on.  My comparative notes on the difference between Amestrian and Cretan alchemy are in review with the Alchemical Journal.  The one I’m planning for Amestria and Aerugo is done in my head, I just need the time and space to write it all out.”

“The study is all yours,” Mustang said.  When Ed looked at him he was still staring at the fire, but there was a small smile on his face.

“It might take me a while to get it all written up, but Al also has his writings about the difference in Xingese alchehestry getting published.  Once all three of those are done we’ve talked about working on a way to incorporate the strength and weaknesses of each of them to make a stronger base alchemy to start with.”

“That sounds pretty ambitious.”

“Glad you think so.  Don’t think for a second you’re going to get out of helping us.”

“Beyond my library and my study?” he teased.

“All teasing aside, we both know that you’re the only alchemist out there that’s going to be able to contribute to what Al and I are doing.  Not just because you’re damn good at what you do, but also because you understand us and the way we think.  You’re flexible enough to go with the leaps Al and I make and you balance it out.  Ugh, I can’t believe you made me say all that.”

Mustang laughed.  “Guess we had to grow out of our constant bickering at some point.”

“Don’t believe it.  We just got home.  Wait until the honeymoon period is over.  You’ll be trying to send me off to Xing or something.”

It was supposed to be light hearted but Mustang’s smile dropped from his face as he downed the liquid in his cup.

“Roy?”

Mustang set his glass on the table beside him and turned to look at Ed.  “You never mentioned it.”

Ed felt his heart beating faster because he knew what this was.  Mustang didn’t have to say another word but Ed knew.  He wished he had more time to prepare for it, to get his feet under him before this came to a head between them.

“I didn’t know what to say back then,” Ed confessed.  “I still don’t.”

“There isn’t a lot that needs to be said, Ed,” Mustang answered.  “You feel something for me, or you don’t.  I thought, at the time, maybe you did.  You kissed me back and I thought that meant something.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why?  I know this isn’t about Usain.  Tell me what makes it so complicated.”

“Because nothing’s changed.  Not really.  I’m still 14 years younger than you.  I’m still a wild card that everyone expects to destroy things, even without alchemy.  The rumors about how I got where I did, as young as I did that went away after the Promised Day, they’d come back if we did this.  Because you are still going to be Fuhrer and I am always going to be a political obstacle for you.”

“So you want me to throw this away for my career?” Roy asked.  His gaze was sharp and Ed felt himself cut to the core by it.

“No, but I can’t let you throw away your career for this, either.  And I can’t be something you keep quiet about.  It would destroy both of us and even if I was willing, I couldn’t let Usain go through that.”

“I would never ask you to be that, Ed.”

“I know.  Which means it would be public.  And bad for your career.”

“Ed.”

“No.  As much as I want this, and I do, I can’t be the thing that keeps you from becoming Fuhrer.  You’ve done so much to get there; so many people have done so much because they believed in what you stand for.  I can’t be the obstacle to that.”

“And I can’t stop this,” Mustang said as he moved closer.  Ed didn’t stop him, didn’t try to put distance between them when the older man’s hand wrapped around the back of his neck and pulled their lips together. 

There was nothing tentative in the kiss.  Ed opened to Mustang and felt the brush of the other man’s tongue against his own.  He reached out and pulled Roy closer, felt his fingers sink in his soft hair the way he’d dreamt of so many times.  Roy took the band from Ed’s hair and he felt it fall around his face as Roy’s fingers carded through it.  He moaned into the feeling of it and Roy deepened the kiss. 

He wasn’t allowed to have this, he knew, but he couldn’t deny this need.  He’d wanted no one else for the last five years, dreamt of no one else for longer.  When Roy pulled him even closer, Ed pushed into him, pushed his shoulders back and chased his lips as he settled against the back of the couch.  Ed followed, settled his knees on either side of Mustang’s legs and straddled him.

Roy’s hands went to his lower back and Ed felt him pulling his shirt free of his pants.  His hands were warm against Ed’s skin and his arms wrapped him closer as he mapped out the inside of Ed’s mouth.  His hands were in constant motion, as if he wanted to learn every curve of him right this instance.

When Ed pulled back, he moaned, “Roy.”

“Tell me to stop, Ed,” his lips brushed against Ed’s throat as he spoke.  “Tell me to stop now.”

Ed stopped his words with a kiss.  Roy’s hands pulled away from the back of his shirt and Ed felt him begin to unbutton his waistcoat.  Ed returned the favor, as he dropped his hands from Roy’s hair and began to unbutton his shirt.  Roy made fast work with the buttons but Ed had fewer obstacles and was the first to push the fabric off Roy’s chest to let his hands slide across his skin.  It wasn’t smooth like the girls used to whisper about whenever the Colonel walked by, but Ed knew that before he’d ever touched him.  His chest was covered in scars from old wounds.  The largest had a match on Ed’s own chest.  Different times and different opponents, but they had both survived and that was what those scars meant.  They were a testament to their survival against unbelievable odds. 

Roy pushed the waistcoat and shirt from Ed’s shoulders and he wrapped his arms around Ed.  One hand found its way back into Ed’s hair and he was beginning to think Roy had a fetish for his hair when the phone in the hallway rang out.

Roy’s hands gripped Ed’s hips tightly even as he pulled back. 

“Fuck,” Ed whispered softly.  Roy let out a broken laugh but Ed moved off his lap and sat on the couch as Roy sprang up and walked down the hallway where he kept the phone.  There was only one reason for anyone to be calling him this late at night.  Ed left his waistcoat where it was but he threw his shirt back on and buttoned it up enough to be passable.  He went to the kitchen and started the coffee, then walked past Mustang in the hallway to go check on his son.  He avoided eye contact because he wasn’t sure what to do about this and it wasn’t the time to start that conversation.  Or finish it.  Or figure out what the hell he was doing because as much as he said he couldn’t let them do this, Ed didn’t know if he could stop himself when Roy was so open with his desires.

Usain was sleeping soundly, thankfully.  He was afraid the phone might have woken him but this was one time Ed was grateful his son was hard to wake up.  Ed stayed in the doorway, taking in the calm that his sleeping son always brought him.  Ed had woken to nightmares more than once, to be calmed by the steady breathing of his boy. 

He felt Mustang behind him and a moment later he felt the press of his body against his back.  His nose brushed against Ed’s temple and into his hair. 

“Coffee should be ready,” Ed said eventually.

“I have to go.”

“I know.”  There was far more regret in his voice than he wished, but he couldn’t take it back.  He couldn’t help what he wanted, no matter how hard he was trying to.   “Is it bad?”

“A dead body.  An alchemist was involved.”

“Hate those cases.”

“Yeah.”

“Go on,” Ed said as he turned his head to the side to look up at Mustang.  “Grab some coffee for the road.” Even as he said it though, he turned even more until his nose was buried in Mustang’s neck.  He felt the other man’s hand against his lower back and the press of his cheek against his own. 

It was only a moment, but when Mustang pulled away, Ed felt like his heart was breaking.  Whatever this had been, Ed didn’t think they’d get it back.

“I’ll call in the morning to let you know what’s happening,” Mustang said as he disappeared into his room to get properly dressed for duty.   Ed stayed where he was, waiting until the General was about to slip down the stairs to speak. 

“Be careful,” Ed called after him.   Mustang stopped but didn’t respond before he continued on.  Ed heard him bang around in the kitchen for a moment before he was in the front hall.  Ed thought about going down to him, but decided against it.  It grew quiet and he wondered if Mustang was thinking the same thing, battling his desire to kiss and touch and be held with the knowledge that he was needed elsewhere tonight. 

The door opened and closed quietly and Ed leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath.  He closed his eyes and tried to tame this thoughts but it wasn’t happening tonight.  Instead, he went back downstairs and grabbed Mustang’s glass.  He sat on the couch and slowly drank as he watched the fire grow lower.  He reached blindly back to pull a throw blanket off the back of the couch, but found Mustang’s discarded shirt from earlier.  Ed gathered it up and pulled it against his chest.  It felt rather telling.  His first night home and he was left with the memory of Roy’s lips against his own, but only a wadded up shirt to hold.  

 

***

Alphonse came over for breakfast and they regaled him with stories of Aerugo while he shared his own anecdotes of his time in Xing.  When they were done, they headed up to the study.  Usain had a stack of books he’d picked out the night before and he and Alphonse took the table while Ed found the notes he’d made for his next paper and began to sort through them.

Half way through the morning the phone rang and Ed ran out to the hallway to pick it up.  “Mustang residence,” he said as he answered.

“Fullmetal, did I catch you at a bad time?”

Ed let out a relieved breath.  “Al, Usain, and I were in the study.  You’re lucky any of us heard you with our heads all in a book.”

There was a laugh on the other end of the phone but it was tight and it confirmed that whatever had called Mustang away last night had been bad.

“I can’t say much but I didn’t want Usain to worry.  It looks like it’s going to be a long week.”

Ed knew what that meant.  It had been gruesome and whoever did it hadn’t been captured.  Not only that, but it was probably someone who was smart enough to leave the scene without any clues. 

“If you need help,” Ed offered.

“I appreciate it, Fullmetal, but what I’d really like is for you and Alphonse to keep your heads down on this one.  The victim was a state alchemist and the two of you are too closely connected to the military for me to like it.  It might be nothing, but please be careful.”

“Damn it!” Ed swore.  “Who was it?”

“The Landslide Alchemist, Andrew Lanbou.  I don’t think you ever met him.  He tended to keep to himself and he worked out of North City.”

“Any idea why he was targeted?”

“No, but it looks like there was a transmutation circle used and then erased.”

“Were you able to-”

“Ed.  Go back to your paper.  You aren’t a state alchemist anymore.  We’ve got this.”

“You have someone with you?” Ed asked.  He knew there was another alchemist who joined them from time to time when it was alchemy related.  As good as the Flame Alchemist was, as a General he didn’t have time to chase down alchemic theory. 

“Not this time.  The Metal-Working Alchemist is away on another mission for me.”

“Just take care then,” he said.  “Is Havoc with you?”

“Yes.”

“Go steal his lighter.”

“Good-bye Fullmetal.”

The phone hung up and Ed couldn’t help but smile about it, even as he worried.

“Brother? Is everything alright?”

Usain was behind Al and Ed gave them both a big smile.  “Yep.  Mustang had to go to work last night so he was just checking in.  We might have to fend for ourselves for dinner tonight.”

“We could go to that Drachman place over by the walkway,” Al suggested.

“You feel like Drachman for dinner tonight, Usain?”

“Uncle Mustang can’t come home tonight?”

Ed shook his head.  “We talked about this, remember?  Mustang usually keeps regular hours, but sometimes he gets called in and he has to go.”

“Yeah,” Usain nodded. 

“Do you think he’d rather be with you?”

“Uncle Mustang loves me,” Usain said.  “Of course he’d rather be with me.”

“Exactly.  So you know as soon as he can, he’ll come home to us.”

“Is the Drachman place good, Uncle Al?”

“Of course it is.  Would I suggest bad food?”

“Never!”

“You want to go to the park?” Al asked.  “I promised to take you there today.  Then we can get lunch and come back here and play some more.”

“Okay!” Usain yelled as he ran off to get his shoes.

“Home to us?” Al asked as soon as Usain was out of hearing.

“Don’t, Al.”

“Ed-”

“Don’t,” he stared at his brother and Al understood him well enough to know this wasn’t a conversation that was happening.  Ever.

Ed had been doing a really shitty job of taking his mind off what had happened between them last night and he didn’t need a conversation with Al about it.  He was saved when Usain ran down the hallway with his shoes on the wrong feet and Al stooped down to help him out.

 

***

 

It turned out to be a very long week for Mustang and they rarely saw him.  Usain moped around a bit but Ed reminded him that unlike when they were living in another country, at least now once Mustang was back to his usual hours, he would get plenty of ‘Mustang time’, as Usain had come to call it. 

Ed wasn’t sure what to think about any of it.  When he’d decided to return to Amestris he’d never questioned where he’d return to.  Mustang had everything ready for them and he’d never once wondered if he could live under the same roof with him again.  He’d never wondered what it would be like for Usain to live with a man who would have to come and go the way Mustang did.

Ed understood.  Usain tried, but he was only 7.

When the second state alchemist was killed, it got worse.  Ed had heard of the Splitting Wood Alchemist because Armstrong thought highly of the man.  He was apparently in excellent physical condition and was obviously, because of that, an outstanding alchemist.  Ed could appreciate someone who worked with the natural elements the way he did, even if Ed had never met him before. 

The long hours became longer and there were nights Mustang didn’t even make it home, opting to stay in the barracks after he worked himself into exhaustion.  After three weeks, Ed was used to the back and forth of when to expect Mustang but it was trying for Usain. 

So instead of keeping Usain distracted from the lack of Mustang in his life, Ed grabbed his son and they walked to Central Command.  The team had to eat food at some point, right? 

 

Ed didn’t make it all the way through the door before he lost his grip on his son. 

“Uncle Mustang!”

“Usain, what are you doing here?” There was no reprimand in Mustang’s voice and Ed was glad they hadn’t come at a bad time.  He probably should have let the guy up front call ahead, but he was willing to let the former Fullmetal Alchemist sneak up on his superior and Ed didn’t get a chance to surprise Mustang often. 

“Lunch!” Usain called out.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d get a few minutes, or if maybe you guys needed us to run out and grab you something,” Ed clarified.

“Ed Elric, my angel,” Havoc teased from his desk.

“Want to come see my office?” Mustang asked Usain. 

Ed let them go and smiled at Hawkeye.  “I promise not to let him be distracted for too long.”

“It was good timing,” she said with an answering smile.  “He keeps staring at the door.  At least with Usain in the city I know exactly where he’s planning to escape too.”

Ed laughed as the door behind him opened again. 

“Edward Elric!  What a pleasure to see you around Central Command again!”

Alex Louise Armstrong was the most polite person Ed had ever met and it never failed to amuse him (or annoy him) that the man seemed to have developed a fondness for him and his brother. 

“Major?”

Armstrong stared at Usain, held in Mustang’s arms and Ed sighed.  “Come here, Usain.  Looks like Mustang needs to get some work done.  Come meet Major Armstrong.  You’ve heard all kinds of stories about him.”

His son wiggled out of Mustang’s arms and Ed would have laughed at the General’s pout if he didn’t have introductions to make.  “Major Alex Louise Armstrong, I’d like you to meet my son, Usain Elric.  Usain, this is the Strong Arm Alchemist.”

Usain’s eyes were wide as he looked up at Armstrong.  “Major Armstrong, sir,” he said giving a clumsy salute.

“Who taught you to salute?” Ed asked.  He was ignored of course.

“Usain Elric, it is a pleasure to meet you.  I have, of course, heard of you but I had not thought to be graced with this meeting today.”

“Keep your shirt on, Major.  There are minors here,” Ed said. 

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Usain charmed.  “Do you work with Uncle Mustang?”

“I work in the Intelligence office. Would you like to see it?”

“Oh! Yes!”

Before Ed could say anything, Usain was hefted up into Armstrong’s arms and he handed Ed a set of rolled up papers. 

“General, here is the rubbing you asked for.  If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”

He was out the door, with Ed’s son, before he could protest.

“I think he just stole my son,” Ed said with a sigh.

“You should be used to it by now,” Hawkeye pointed out. 

Ed unrolled the paper that Armstrong had handed him and looked at it.  “Where did this come from?” he asked.

Mustang motioned him towards the table and Ed rolled the paper all the way out as Havoc and the new guy moved things out of the way so he could set it flat.

“A transmutation circle, but not all of it,” the new guy said.  “If we had more of it, we might be able to make out what this is.”

Ed knew who he was, the Metal Working Alchemist.  Micah Deccar wasn’t part of the team, per say, but he help Mustang out when they needed another alchemist.   Ed ignored him and looked at the circle.

“It was found at the last murder,” Mustang said.  “Warren Shultz was found dead from blunt force trauma to the head.  The transmutation circle was destroyed when the wall beside it exploded.  It was etched into the ground.  Investigations took this rubbing of it.  What do you think, Ed?”

Ed stared at the circle and tried to decipher what someone else had been thinking when they made it.  It was always hard to try to figure out someone else’s circle.  So much of what they put into their transmutation circles were particular to the alchemist.  Ed’s own circles had become such an amalgamation of other cultures that it was hard to think back to the when he’d actively been doing alchemy and had only used the traditional Amestrian symbols and circles. 

“Wait, it’s not,” he said to himself.  Because there weren’t just Amestrian symbols.  Thrown into the whole thing was a single Xingese figure.  He wouldn’t have recognized it if he hasn’t spent so much time looking through Al’s notes on alchehestry before his paper had been published. 

He ran his finger over the edge of the circle and traced what would have been the rest with a finger, picturing the other symbols that could have been there.  It went back to that one symbol though.  He wasn’t entirely sure what it was, but there was something here.  Something different and, considering their past, terrifying if his thoughts were correct.

“It’s draining something,” Ed said as he looked up at Mustang.

“Where do you get that?” Deccar asked as he looked closer at the circle.

“It’s here,” he said, pointing to the Xingese symbol.

“It’s not a symbol I recognize,” Deccar said.

“And it shouldn’t be, unless you’ve studies Xingese alchehestry.  Which I did while I was helping my brother with his paper.  This symbol can be used in a lot of different ways, but when you look at everything you’ve got here, whoever did this was draining something from someone.”

“Like a soul?” Mustang asked.

“I hope to hell not.  The Xingese never made philosopher’s stones but they’ve studied the chi of all living things in depth.”

“There isn’t enough of this circle left to be able to tell the actual intentions of the creator,” Decarr interjected.  “This is all just guesswork.  Since you aren’t a state alchemist, maybe you should leave it to the professionals.”

Ed turned to glare at the Metal Working Alchemist.  “I punched a god in the face with my bare hands, so if I want to stop by the old office and see a few friends and offer an opinion or two, I’ve damn well earned it.”

“Excuse me,” a voice called from the doorway.  It was the guy that had let Ed through earlier without calling Mustang.  “I was asked to deliver this to General Mustang.”    

Mustang took the envelope and Ed looked back at Deccar who had stepped away.  Ed wanted to continue the argument but Mustang was moving and he knew that face. 

“Get the car,” he said to Havoc.  “We have a possible third body already.”

The team began to shuffle around to get out the door and Ed was saved from any more conversation with Deccar who was first out the door with Havoc only a step behind.

“Ed, I’m sorry.”

“You have to go, yeah, I know the drill.  I could help if you need it.  That circle-”

“Ed, Deccar is right.  You aren’t a state alchemist anymore.  You can’t go running off with the team to help out.  What would happen to Usain if something happened to you?” 

Ed clenched his fists because the bastard was right.  “Alright, Bastard.  I know my place.  I’ll just go find my son and leave.  Enjoy your dead body.”

He was out the door before Mustang, headed to Investigations to get his son when he realized how pissed off he’d sounded.  Well, Mustang knew him.  Being left behind when something was happening had never set well with Ed. 

He let out a deep breath and tried to put a smile on his face as he opened the door to Investigations, only to find Armstrong flexing his muscles, and his shirtless son doing his best to imitate him.             

 

***

 

Ed sat on the top step, staring down into the garden behind the house.  Usain was still playing, though the daylight was beginning to fade.  Ed should have started dinner a half hour ago but he was agitated and the only thing that had really been able to calm him all day today had been his son’s presence.  He heard something behind him and turned in surprise when Mustang opened the back door and stepped out.

Usain hadn’t seen him yet and Ed watched silently as Mustang sat next to him.  He’d already gotten rid of his jacket, his shirt sleeves were pushed up over his elbows, and he was barefoot on the porch.  “Dinner will be ready in about five minutes,” Mustang said.

“What did you buy?” Ed asked. 

“Made.  I went to the store on the way home and got food that I knew how to cook.  Nothing fancy, but I thought it might be nice to have a home cooked meal together.”

“Mustang!”

Ed didn’t have time to respond once Usain saw Mustang on the stairs.  His son ran over and then Mustang took the boy upstairs to get cleaned up for dinner.

When Ed went inside a minute later, the table had already been set for the three of them in the informal breakfast nook.  He preferred sitting there to the formal dining room, but when the whole gang was over they would have to take it to the bigger table.  Whatever Mustang had cooked, it smelled amazing.  Ed washed his hands and came back to get a seat at the round table with Mustang on his left and Usain on his right.

“Did you make this, Mustang?” Usain asked.

“I did.  I know I haven’t been around much lately but I had the chance to sneak out early tonight so I ran before Hawkeye could see me,” Mustang said with a smile for Usain.   “I haven’t gotten to cook for anyone since your dad and uncle moved out.  I thought I better see if I still remembered how.”

“Did you two have a nice afternoon?” Mustang asked Ed.

He was trying to make polite conversation but Ed didn’t feel like he could give even that much.  Three weeks back home and Ed was floundering.  His paper was coming along fine and he’d just gotten news that the journal had accepted his paper and was interested in the one he was currently writing, but he couldn’t walk into the front room without thinking about what had happened between them.  He couldn’t sleep at night, wondering if Mustang would come home without Ed there to back him up.     Wondering if this limbo between them would be how their relationship ended.

“Yeah,” was all he could muster.

Usain kicked his dad under the table, then told Mustang all about his time with Armstrong and their visit to the National Central Library.

“Did you meet Sheska?”

Usain giggled and Ed grunted but again his son shared their adventure, including Sheska’s surprise at how well-mannered Usain was with Ed as a father.

He finished his dinner quickly and set his dished in the sink.  He left Usain with Mustang and didn’t try to excuse his behavior.  He went to the study and buried himself in his notes until he heard his son’s voice in the bathroom down the hall.  When Ed looked up, he realized someone had come in and turned the lights on for him when the sun had gone down. 

He sighed and rubbed at the spot between his eyes before he slowly made his way out of the room.  Usain’s voice was coming from his bedroom and Ed walked quietly to the door to find Mustang perched on the edge of his son’s bed.

“Mustang, why is Dad mad at you today?”

He closed his eyes because he’d tried all day to keep his feelings in check but Usain had always been good at telling what Ed was feeling.  And honestly, Ed had always sucked at it anyway.  He wore his emotions on his sleeve and never knew what to do with them. 

“He’s not mad at me, Usain,” Mustang said as he pushed the hair back from Usain’s forehead.  Although nothing betrayed it, Ed could see the exhaustion in the set of Mustang’s shoulders and the slight hesitation in his voice as he spoke to Ed’s son.

“Something came up with the case I’ve been working on.  You know your Dad used to work for me, right?”

“Yep.  You were his Colonel Bastard!”

Mustang shook his head but Ed could see the smile that was trying to creep across his lips.  “Yeah, I guess I was.  Your Dad saw something at the office today that upset him, that’s all.  He’s not mad at anyone.”

“Yeah?”

“What does Ed do when he’s mad at someone?”

“He yells.  A lot.”

“Exactly,” Mustang was definitely smiling now.  “Was he yelling at anyone today?”

“No.  So he was just sad?”

“Maybe.  How about I promise to talk to him about it, and you promise to get some sleep.”

“Are you going to be here when I wake up?”

“If I get called in tonight, I promise to come in and say good-bye, no matter what time it is.  How is that?”

“Okay.  Can we come have lunch again sometime?”

“We didn’t get to have lunch today, remember?” Ed said as he walked in.

Usain smiled.  “But I got to meet Armstrong!  He said I could come to visit anytime!”

Mustang pressed a kiss to Usain’s forehead and let out a heavy sigh.  “I can’t believe Armstrong stole my kid from me.”

He walked out the door and Ed’s wide eyes followed.  He didn’t think Mustang caught what he’d said, which said a lot about just how drained he was.  Mustang was always so careful with his word choice.

“Dad?”

“Hey Buddy,” Ed said as he looked back at Usain.  He kissed his head and tucked the blanket around his boy.  “Did you get your story?”

“Yeah,” Usain said with a grin.  “Uncle Mustang is the best storyteller ever.”

“I think you’re right.  Good night, Usain.”

“Good night Dad.”

“Love you, kid.”

“Love you, too,” Usain said as he turned to his side, eyes closed and a smile on his angelic face.

He took his time making his way downstairs.  He stopped first in the library to tidy his mess there before he did the same in the study.  Once that was done, he knew he couldn’t put it off any longer so he went down to the front room where he knew Mustang waited.

A cup had already been poured for him and he sat on the couch and took a sip as he stared into the fire.  It didn’t matter how warm it was outside.  Mustang always had the fireplace going at night.  There was a comfort to the dance of the flames when Ed needed to think. 

“Thank you,” he said after a moment’s silence.

“For what?”

“I heard him ask.  You’re right.  I’m not angry with you.  I just…”

“Don’t get me wrong, Ed.  I said you weren’t a state alchemist and you needed to keep an eye on Usain and I meant that, but you’re better than any other alchemist we’ve ever worked with.  You know that.  If there was a way to get you back on the team I’d jump at it, with or without your alchemy.  Sometimes…” Mustang paused but took a drink instead of finishing his sentence.

“What?”

“I think I pushed him on you and you never had a chance to figure out what you wanted to do.  If you wanted to stay or go.  I know you love him, but I can’t help but wonder sometimes.”

Ed sighed.  “I miss it.  I miss my alchemy and I miss being part of the team.  I miss feeling like I was making a difference in people’s lives.  But I’ve never wondered if I made the right choice that night.  I gave up my alchemy for my brother and I don’t regret it.  I might miss it, but I don’t regret it.  And I gave up being a part of the team for my son.  I might miss it, but I don’t regret it.  But being in the office with Deccar doubting my alchemy and getting left behind?”  He let out a harsh snort of a laugh and took a sip from his glass.  “That stung.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.  Usain was nearly giddy all day because he got to see you at your office and he met Armstrong.  I’m just sorry you actually came home and I was in too sour a mood to keep you company.  How did that happen anyway?  Thought you had a new body?”

“The Stone Cold Alchemist.  Crystal Sarah.   No leads.  We were all so frustrated I realized I wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been sleeping well in the barracks.  I told everyone to go home early and come back refreshed in the morning.”

Ed nodded.  He wanted to ask if there was anything he could do to help, but he’d offered.  He couldn’t do it again. 

“If I had something more, I’d mention it.  At least Crystal put up a fight.  There was ice all over the scene.”

“You knew her?” Ed asked.

“She was in Ishval.  I didn’t know her well, but she had some trouble coming home from it.  They called her Stone Cold because she could follow orders without blinking, but Ishval changed that.  The name stuck because after that, she was cold to everyone.  Didn’t let anyone close enough to see what was behind her masks.”

“I’m sorry.”

Mustang let out a deep breath.  “I believe you about the circle,” he said as he tipped his glass back.  “I would never doubt you when it comes to alchemy.  Deccar and I had it out back at the office before I let everyone go.  Just because he didn’t see it doesn’t mean he shouldn’t start looking into it himself.  He’s a good combat alchemist but he doesn’t come close to your theory and he doesn’t have the flexibility that makes you so good in the field.”

“I feel like you’re buttering me up for something,” Ed teased.

Mustang laughed.  “Maybe just a …” he paused on what he was saying and Ed could see him trying to rework whatever he’d been about to say.  “Maybe I just want a couple hours of peace before I have to return to the chaos.”

Ed tipped his glass.  “Good thing Usain is asleep then.”

“He’s a good kid, Ed.  You’ve done a great job with him.  I know how hard it was in the beginning, when we were worried Pride would come back and everything we did felt monumental.  Whatever Pride left behind, he’s your son and no one could ever doubt that.”

“You know we wouldn’t have made it a week without your help.”

“I was blind… in the hospital...”

“And a pain in my ass, telling me how to raise my kid.  I think you spent more time holding and feeding him than I did.”

“I didn’t have a lot of entertainment.  It gave me something to focus on besides the dark and the scope of the task I was taking on in Ishval.”

“He was too little to remember, but I think, somehow, he knows anyway.  You’re more than an uncle to him, even if he doesn’t know how to say it.”

“Ed, don’t.”

“I can’t ignore how important you are to him.”

Mustang let out a deep breath and stood up to brace himself against the mantle and stare down into the fire.

“I know, but I can’t have this conversation right now, Ed.  I can’t … when there are so many things I want that … I can’t do this tonight.  Just let me have my peace for a little while, alright?”

Ed swallowed against a lump in his throat and choked back the words he wanted to say.  Instead, he went to the bar and found the right bottle.  He went to the fire and filled Mustang’s glass before he filled his own and took a seat.

Mustang followed him and sat next to him, close enough that they were pressed together shoulder to ankle.  Neither said anything and Ed took comfort in having this moment with Mustang.  Even if he couldn’t have anything else.

 

***

The rest of the week seemed to go more smoothly.  Mustang didn’t make it home for dinner most nights, but he made a point of coming home before Usain went to bed, even if he went back to the office to put in more hours once he was asleep.

 Ed had read about the murders in the newspaper and with what little Mustang let drop, he’d put together a pretty good idea of what was happening.  There were still no clues about the who or why though and Ed had no theories.  He hoped what information had been kept from the public gave Mustang’s team more to work on than Ed had.

Saturday rolled around and Ed smiled down at Usain as they made their way across town.  It was a pleasant day for a walk and Ed had planned plenty of time to stop along the way as they went to their rendezvous. 

When he stopped in front of the house, Ed smiled with the memories.  Some were bittersweet, twisted with tragedy, but the time he’d spent under this roof had been the few moments of normalcy in his life. 

He didn’t get to the door before it opened and Ed stared at the ten year old on the doorstep.  She smiled as she threw herself at Ed. 

“Uncle Ed!”

Ed caught her and held her tight for a minute.  It’d been seven years since he’d seen her but he kept in touch with Gracia through letters and the occasional phone call.  Al was a frequent guest at the Hughes house though and he passed stories back and forth between them.

“Elysia, you’re so grown up!”

“Edward,” he looked up to see Gracia in the doorway.  “I had asked Elysia to tell me when you arrived, not to throw herself out the door as soon as you did.”

He laughed as he let go of Elysia and moved closer to Gracia.  She opened her arms to him and he was surprised to find he was actually taller than her now.  “How are you Gracia?”

“It’s so good to see you, Ed,” She said with a smile as he stepped back.  “So, where is this little man you keep telling me about?”

He smiled as he looked back over to where Usain waited.  Elysia was watching him, but hadn’t introduced herself yet. 

“Usain Elric, this is Gracia and Elysia Hughes.”

“Guys, this is my son.”

Gracia stooped down and held her hand out for Usain.  “It’s nice to meet you, Usain.” 

He took her hand in his own and turned it slightly to kiss the back of her hand, “It’s my pleasure entirely.”

“Oh my, what a flirt,” Gracia laughed.

“Usain, you’re supposed to shake her hand, not kiss it.”

“Uncle Mustang says you’re supposed to kiss a beautiful lady’s hand.”

Ed shook his head but didn’t fail to see Elysia quickly offer her hand to get a quick kiss to the back of hers too. 

“Uncle Mustang and I are going to have a talk about what he’s teaching you,” Ed said to himself as Elysia led Usain into the house. 

Gracia laughed as she wrapped an arm around Ed’s and led him in as well.  “We set out some tea and light snacks,” she said as they walked towards the back of the house where a table sat on a small patio outside. 

“Wow, this looks amazing,” Ed said.  “Thanks for having us over.”

“Well as soon as Roy told me you were back I knew we’d have to get together.  I know Elysia has been looking forward to it as well.”

Usain frowned in his seat and before Ed could ask he looked up at Gracia.  “His name is General Mustang.  You shouldn’t call him Roy.”

“Usain, Gracia and Mustang have been friends a long time,” he explained.  His kid could get the strangest notions sometimes.

“No.  You call him General Mustang,” Usain said as he pointed at Gracia.  “Dad is the only one who gets to call him Roy.”

Ed’s mouth dropped open and he was torn between mortification at the implications his son was making and anger that he was treating Gracia that way.

Gracia laughed though, “Oh, I see.  I’m so sorry Usain, I didn’t realize.  Excuse my laps of etiquette.  The General is lucky to have someone like you to make sure people give him the respect he is due.”

Usain nodded, and with that settled he smiled as he sipped his tea.  Ed gave Gracia an embarrassed shrug and a half smile but she simply waved it away.  The rest of their snack was good natured, with Usain and Elysia talking about their favorite things, best places to visit, and how they were both going to grow up to be alchemists just like Uncle Mustang and Uncle Al.

After snacks they ran upstairs for Elysia to show Usain her room.  Ed let out a deep breath.  “I am so sorry, Gracia.”

“For what, dear?”

“Earlier.  He’s very protective of Mustang.”

“You mean, Roy?” She teased.

He sighed.  “I don’t even know where he got the idea.  I rarely call him Roy.”

“But you do.”

“We live under the same roof.  At some point it’s going to slip out,” he defended but he could feel the flush spread across his cheeks. 

“Ed, as much as I loved my husband, there isn’t a head that Roy couldn’t turn if he set his heart on it.”

“And he’s well aware of it.”

“And he has set his heart,” she ignored his interruption and kept going.  “Maes always said that once that man set his sights on something there was no denying it.  He’s going to be the youngest Fuhrer in Amestrian history and he managed to do it by staging a coup and leaving most people out of the knowledge that he did it, while stabilizing the country until he could take over.  He’s determined, smart, and willing to get help when he needs it.  If that’s for his career, what do you think he’s willing to do for his heart?”

“Forget every obstacle in the way, forget that what his heart is set on will destroy everything else he’s ever worked for?”

Her eyes widened.  “Oh, Ed.”

He shook his head.  “It doesn’t matter.  It won’t work.  I just … have to figure out what to do now.”

“What do you mean?”

“You heard him,” Ed said softly.  “The way he talks about Mustang.”

“He’s been there for the both of you over the years.”

“Yeah, and now we’re living with him.”

“And Mustang is as much a parent to him as you are,” Gracia commented.  Ed looked at her because that was the heart of the problem right there and he should have known, as well as she knew both of them that she’d figure it out.

“What the hell was I thinking?  I should have stayed in Aerugo, or just gone back to Resembool.  Being here with Mustang just makes everything … messy.”

“Ed, do you love him?”

“What?”

“Roy.  Do you love him?”

Ed looked down at his hands.  “I can’t let him ruin his life for me, Gracia.  He got me to my feet when I made the biggest mistake of my life and couldn’t move on.  He kept me moving when I wanted to give up.  He fought with me, fought beside me, and he supported me.  He’s the reason I have my god damned son.  The best thing I can do for him is to get out of his life and let him find someone who can support him the way he needs.  But I have Usain and I can’t just disappear from his life.”

Gracia took one of his hands in her own and squeezed it softly.  “I think, Edward, in this area you have met your match when it comes to stubbornness.  Roy has been in love with you for years.  I saw it when he was blind and he allowed himself to lean on you.  It was just the beginnings, but it was there.  It wasn’t just Usain he came home to tell me about after all those visits over the years.  His heart won’t move on, and he won’t give up.  He might bide his time, but he won’t ever give up.  So, ask yourself, are you really willing to fight this that hard?  Or are you just making it harder on the two of you?”

“You can’t really condone this, can you?” Ed asked.  “After everything that’s been sacrificed, how can I get involved with him if our relationship could cost him the Fuhrership?”

Gracia sighed.  “Ed, I can say with utmost certainty that my husband didn’t die to see Roy become Fuhrer.  He died doing the right thing.  Would he still be willing to sacrifice himself if he found out Roy chose love over his career?”  She smiled.  “You knew my husband.  What do you think his answer would be?”

Ed sighed.  “I know he would.”

“Then you know my answer as well.  But, I highly doubt Roy wouldn’t have thought that through before he started to court you, Ed.  He’s smart enough to have set things in motion long before he showed his affections to you.”

“Gracia, he kissed me five years ago.”

Gracia smiled, “Then you’ve kept him waiting an awfully long time, haven’t you?”

Ed laughed because for the first time in days he felt lighter.  “Good things come to those who wait.”

She laughed with him then.  He still didn’t know if it made sense, but it certainly did make him wonder.  She was right.  Mustang was a manipulative bastard and he thought things through five steps ahead of everyone else.  Would he have made plans to handle any backlash that a relationship with Ed might have?  What could they possibly be?  And why wouldn’t he have mentioned it?

Because Ed hadn’t given him the chance.  And like Gracia said, Mustang could play the long game with the best of them.

They ended up staying the afternoon and Ed was considering asking Gracia to dinner with them when the front doorbell rang.  Gracia smiled sweetly at Ed, her arms full of Usain as she’d just caught him in their game of chase.  “Edward, would you mind getting the door for me?” 

“Usain, don’t let the girls get you down!” he called out as he walked through the house to the front.  He opened the door and was surprised to see Mustang there, dressed in a suit rather than his uniform.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well, I came to pick you up, actually, but if you’d prefer I leave…”

“No, that’s not what I meant, Bastard,” he said with a smile.  “Let me get Usain.  I was going to see if Gracia wanted to go to dinner-“

“She has plans tonight, I’m afraid.”

“She does?”

“I do,” Gracia said as she came in and hugged Mustang.  She pressed a kiss to his cheek and she let him into the house while Ed was still stuck at the door.  “Why don’t you go see Usain while I explain to Ed what a date is.”

“A what?”

“See, he’s in desperate need of my attention, General.”

“It seems so.  General?   When have we become so formal, Mrs. Hughes?”

“A rather amusing story for later,” Gracia said with a grin.  “Usain is out with Elysia in the back yard.”

Roy left to find his son then and Ed was staring at Gracia.  She smiled at him and patted his hand.  “I’m sorry Ed.  I told you he was only biding his time.  I couldn’t give away his secret though after he’d worked so hard to pull this off.”

“What?”

“Your date.  Roy is going to take you to a very nice restaurant and the two of you are going to talk where your son can’t hear you and you’re going to enjoy your night out.  And then you can think about that answer that you didn’t give me earlier.”

“I … this can’t … I …” and of all the objections, the only thing that came out was, “I can’t go to a fancy restaurant dressed like this.”

“Luckily, Roy came by on his way to work this morning and brought a change that he thought would be appropriate.  Do hurry dear.  You don’t want to be late for your reservations.”

She shooed him up to the guest room where he and Al had stayed before and he found his good suit set out for him already.  He was a mess from playing in the yard with the kids and Gracia so he slipped into the bathroom and took a quick shower.

He was halfway through washing his hair before he realized he hadn’t actually objected to going on a date with Mustang.  Damn it!  The Bastard did that on purpose!  He knew he’d do whatever Gracia said. 

Usain was having such a good time with Elysia that Ed had been willing to extend the dinner invitation to allow them more time to bond so he didn’t object to leaving his son here.  A smile pulled across his face as he thought of what Maes Hughes would have said, if he’d seen Ed’s son running around playing with his daughter.  Of what he’d have said if he’d been there with Gracia when she’d come right to the truth of Ed’s trouble since moving back to Central. 

Damn it.  He’d been outmaneuvered at every turn today.  He’d thought after the other night that Mustang had accept Ed’s assertion that they couldn’t be, even after Ed had given in to the disastrous(ly amazing) kiss.

Ed finished the shower quickly.  He’d already agreed when he went running upstairs and he knew it.  Now, he just had to manage to get through the night without letting Mustang get any further under his skin than he already was.

He dried his hair on a towel and got dressed before he tried to tame his hair and pulled it back into a ponytail.  It was the best he could do on short notice, but if Mustang wanted him to look decent he should probably actually ask Ed out on a date rather than abducting him for one.

He looked in the mirror one last time and ran his hands over the black jacket.  He wore black pants and a waistcoat with a white button down shirt.  Not too shabby, if he did say so himself.

He walked down the steps and heard laughter.  He smiled, against his better judgement.  When he reached the bottom, Gracia was sitting on the couch beside Mustang while Elysia and Usain were dancing around to the radio.

“Dad!” Usain saw him first but he didn’t stop his dancing.  Elysia had him by the hands and twirled him around. 

“Am I late to the party?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Mustang said as he stood up.  “Though if we don’t hurry up, we might miss our reservations.”

“I might have been on time if I’d known about it,” Ed commented. 

Mustang smiled as he came around the couch.  “Shall we?”

Usain came running over before Ed could answer and gave Ed a hug.  “It’s my first sleepover!”

“A sleepover?” Ed asked, looking up at Gracia.

Elysia grabbed Usain who had jumped away from Ed to hug Mustang, and Gracia gave Ed a quick hug as she walked him towards the door.  “Have fun tonight.  We’ll see you in the morning.”

Ed didn’t have time to do anything but throw out a good-bye through the door before Mustang directed him to where the car was parked out front.  He opened the passenger door for Ed and shut it gently behind him once Ed was seated.

When he got in the car he began to drive away.  Ed wasn’t sure what to say but Mustang looked over at him and smiled.  “You look good, Ed.”

“Thanks.  You gonna tell me where we’re going?”

“Dinner.”

“That much I understood,” he said with a good natured sigh.

“Ed,” and his tone was serious where it had been teasing since he’d arrived at Gracia’s, “I’ve tried to let this go.  There’ve been so many times over the last five years when something could have happened, but never did.  I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me, seeing what I wanted to see instead of seeing what was there.  But I know that isn’t the case now.  And as easy as it’s been to keep busy over the last couple weeks with this investigation, as soon as my mind stops spinning around some fact, it goes straight back to you.”

“Yeah,” Ed said quietly, “I get that.” He’d been having the same damn problem since that night. 

“I know you have a host of reasons why you think this would be bad for me, and I appreciate that you’re thinking of what’s best for me.  But I know how to pick my battles and how to fight them.  This battle?  I’ll fight until I win.  You’ve always believed that I would become the Fuhrer.  Believe me now, when I say that I won’t let us get in the way of that, and I won’t that get in the way of us.”

Ed took a deep breath and tried to figure out what to say to that, but Mustang cut him off before he could start.

“I’m not trying to force you to make a decision tonight.  Just … let me take you out.  We’ll relax and maybe even enjoy each other’s company and see where things lead.”

“I have a fair idea where you think this will lead,” Ed decided to tease, “since you already sent my kid away overnight.”  Ed knew he wanted this and Gracia’s words had already made him question his own assumptions about the obstacles between them.  If Mustang believed he could fight through them, maybe Ed should have a little faith in that.

Mustang’s cheeks turned pink and Ed couldn’t believe he’d actually made the man blush.

“It’s not like that.  I just thought it would work out best.  We could stay out late if we wanted to and not have to worry about Usain or put Gracia out.”

“Uh hu,” Ed said with a smile. 

“Brat,” Mustang muttered under his breath and Ed laughed.

The rest of the ride to the restaurant was quiet but it was a companionable silence.  Ed couldn’t stop the thoughts that ran around in his head.  What if they really could work this out?  What would that mean for him?  For his son?  He looked over at Mustang and could see he was lost in thought as well.  Mustang was still probably trying to outthink the day’s work.  He knew how Mustang and his team worked.  They might get to go home without an active lead on the case, but it was at the back of all their minds. 

When they arrived, Ed recognized the place.  It wasn’t the fancy place that Mustang usually took his dates.  It was their favorite restaurant.  There was a small selection of food from different countries that were authentically cooked.  The place was lively but softly lit; on the edge of romantic without the overblown feel to it all.  They’d eaten there a lot before Ed had started traveling again. 

“Is it still as good as I remember?”

“You’ll have to tell me.  Now that you’ve lived in Creta and Aerugo you’re more the expert than I am,” Mustang said as they got out of the car. 

When they got to the front of the building a young woman began to escort them to their table.  Ed felt Mustang’s hand at the small of his back.  It was distracting but in a good way.  When he looked up at him, Mustang had his eyes on the attendant and Ed realized the man hadn’t realized he was doing it.  He smiled softly and turned his attention back to the woman leading them.

Their table was set to the side, a private corner where they weren’t likely to be disturbed.  Ed took his seat and watched Mustang charm the girl as he sat, asking after the specials of the day.  When she left, menus handed off and drinks ordered, Mustang smiled at him.  “I figured there would be fewer interruptions if we got that all out of the way.”

“You don’t know how to turn it off, do you?”

“What?”

“The way you charm people.  It’s funny because the way we met I never saw that side of you.  It was a couple years before I understood the reason people watched you the way they do.”

Mustang looked down for a second and his smile was smaller, shyer than when he’d been looking at Ed before.  “You forget, I was raised by Madame Christmas.  She used to say if I wanted to make some real money I should work for her.”

“She didn’t,” he said with wide eyes.  He couldn’t imagine it.  Well, he could because Mustang was handsome, sometimes even dashing, he was extremely good at reading people, and his kisses, at least, could bankrupt a man, wanting more. 

Mustang’s eyes glittered as he smiled.  “She did.  Of course, she’d have probably kicked me out if I ever took her up on the offer.  I never looked down on the girls that worked for Madame Christmas. They each had their own reasons for being there, but I knew I needed to make my mark on the world.  Alchemy had always been the way.”

“Do you still enjoy it?” Ed asked quietly.  “In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve rarely seen you use your alchemy with any sort of passion or joy.”

Mustang looked away and Ed realized how personal that question was.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean-”

“No, it’s okay.  I do still love it.  I think maybe that’s why I enjoyed having you and Al both living with me when I was blind. Why I never complained when I’d come home to find Alphonse and his things spread all over the study and library.  When you moved in, I found I could talk of alchemy again without the pain that had overshadowed if since Ishval.  I could talk theory and different types of alchemy, even speak of flame alchemy, without the pain of the past.  When I use my alchemy in the field though, it’s always to defend or attack.  I don’t regret what I can do.  I have always and will always be prepared to use my power to defend what I love, but it took a long time to see past what I did in Ishval and be able to look at alchemy the way you and Al always have. To find that love of it again.”

“So, it’s better now?”

“It is,” Mustang said.  He looked to the side and Ed could see he was remembering something.  “And teaching Usain does a lot to help that too.  He has such an innocent look on the world.  The awe he sees things with, the pure joy of it?  I know why you made the choice you did on the Promised Day with him, and at the time I wasn’t sure if I should strangle you or shoot you for it.  Now, I think you saved his life and mine at the same time.”

Ed knew he was wearing a stupid smile on his face, but that was his boy Mustang was talking about and there was nothing that made him smile faster.

“Alright, I have to stop.  Gracia reminded me, rather pointedly, that I wasn’t supposed to let us talk about Usain all night.”

“Why not?”

“Because we could,” Mustang laughed.  “Because it’s easier to talk about how much we care about him instead of talking about this.”

Ed was saved from having to answer that as a waiter came with their wine and to take their orders.  Ed convinced Mustang to try an Aerugonian steak dish he knew he’d love and he ordered a Cretan styled stew. 

When the waiter walked away Mustang asked about Ed’s day and they began to talk back and forth about their lives.  Dinner came and it was as magnificent as Ed remembered.  He managed to steal a few pieces of Mustang’s steak and ignored the bites Mustang took of his.  Dessert was a Drachman chocolate cake covered in white powdered sugar that was nearly perfect when shared by two.

Ed thought their date would be done when they left the restaurant to head towards the car, but Mustang smiled at him and offered him his hand.  “Would you like to take a walk?”

Ed looked at him suspiciously for a moment before he took his hand.  It felt a little odd to have Mustang’s fingers entwined in his own but he felt safe like that. 

The night was quiet but the streets still had a fair number of restaurants and bars open.  Some shops stayed open for late shoppers and Ed enjoyed the quiet of this time with Mustang.  They didn’t get it often.  Usain was an energetic boy and he was constantly bounding around them in what little time Mustang had been able to be home since they’d moved back in.

“This is nice,” Ed said as they walked down the corner to turn towards a small park.  They could see the train station in the distance; across the river the lights at night painted in far lovelier tones than the day.  But Ed loved the train.  No matter how far they took him from home, they always brought him back.

“I resented it for a long while,” Mustang said as they stopped to lean against a fence looking across the river to the station.

“What?”

“You know I’m not always the most patient man,” Mustang said.

Ed smiled because while Mustang could play the long game with the best of them, there were plenty of times Ed had seen his patience worn thin.  Mostly because of himself.  Ed had always had a way of pushing the other man’s buttons. 

“When I was a major they sent me on just about every random job they could.  My CO and I never really got along and I think he wanted to be rid of me, so I never stopped.  I enjoyed moving, the chance to get out and help people, to get to know the country.  Then Ishval happened and every time the train took me away, I hated it.  I hated the corruption I saw and the death that seemed to be everywhere.  When I was able to finally stay in East City and put most of the traveling behind me, I was happy to.”

“You were done traveling,” Ed said, curious about where Mustang was going with this line of thought. 

“When I started to send you on missions, I knew that keeping you on the move was the best way to keep Al safe and the only way to give you the freedom you needed to chase the stone.  I could also see that the travel suited you.”

Ed laughed.  “We traveled a lot of miles, on the rail and on foot.”  He took his hand from Mustang’s but only so he could lean his back against the fence and look at Mustang as they spoke.  Mustang’s eyes were on the station lights though.

“When the Promised Day was over I began to truly dread the trains again.  I knew one day, soon, it would take you away.  I knew you had to go to Resembool and I had grown too used to having you and Al and Usain at home.  It wasn’t until after the first trip we took to Creta that I enjoyed a train ride again.”

Ed smiled at the memory.  Mustang had gone to Creta on a diplomatic mission and Ed had traveled to visit him.  After spending all his free time with Ed, Mustang had shared a train car back with him to the closest station and then spent a day with Ed and Usain in the small village they’d settled in then. 

“I remember that ride,” Ed said softly.  “Usain slept through most of it.”

“You slept through part of it too,” Mustang said.  Ed didn’t comment because he’d never quite gotten over his embarrassment at having woken with his head in Mustang’s lap. “I have a confession to make,” he continued.  “When you fell asleep on the bench, I moved to sit beside you and when tried to find a better position, I set your head in my lap.  And I took the tie from you hair so that it was loose.”

“I wondered how that happened,” Ed said.

Mustang stepped closer and Ed felt the slight tug as his ponytail was loosened.  His hair spilled around his face and he looked up at Mustang in surprise as he felt the other man’s fingers running through his hair.

“I spent a good portion of the train ride like this, watching you sleep.”

“That could be seen as creepy,” Ed said. 

“I had already kissed you once.  I thought of waking you with a kiss when we got close to the station but it seemed like cheating you of your answer.”

“And do I get to answer now?” Ed asked as Mustang stepped close enough that he could feel the heat of him.

“I decided to stop waiting and woo you until you made a final choice,” Mustang said as he fisted his hand in Ed’s hair and pulled their lips together.  The fence was against this back and Mustang pressed tighter to his chest.  Ed wrapped his arm around Mustang’s waist and held him closer as his lips parted in invitation.  Mustang’s other hand cupped Ed’s face as Mustang’s tongue slid into his mouth.  He moaned into it, pulling Mustang as close as he could. 

Their tongues tangled and Ed’s hands ran over Mustang’s back and sides before he slipped them up his chest and back to rest his hands against Mustang’s hips. 

“Roy,” he whispered the name against the other man’s lips when he finally pulled back.

Mustang’s thumb trailed gently across Ed’s cheek and he leaned slightly into his hand.

“This could be so good, Ed,” he said as he brushed his lips over Ed’s again.  “We could be this good together.”

Ed let out a shuddered laugh.  “You know … I don’t have a lot of experience at this.”  It wasn’t that he hadn’t been interested, but until he was 16 he’d been busy saving the world and getting his brother’s body back, and then he’d become a single father.  Usain had been far more important to him than any hormone driven desires, and by the time he’d been in a place to think a little more about himself, it had felt too much like cheating on Mustang to contemplate finding someone else. Even if there hadn’t been anything concrete between them. 

“I … this needs to go slow,” he said.

Mustang smiled at him.  “I waited five years for you to let me take you on a date.  I can go as slow as you want.”

“Even if I get caught up and let things go too far and have to step back?” Ed asked.  He knew the answer, but he had to say it because their first night under the same roof, Ed still wasn’t sure he’d have stopped things if Mustang hadn’t been called in to work.

“Ed, I’m not trying to seduce you.”  Ed smirked at that and Mustang rolled his eyes.  “I won’t deny where I want this to end, but this isn’t about having a single night with you.  I want all your nights.  Every damn one.  If that means keeping my libido in check, I’m more than capable.  I do have more self-control when it comes to you than I might sometimes imply.”

“You did keep from strangling me all those years working together.  It does say a lot about your self-control,” Ed teased.

Mustang laughed then, full and happy and Ed felt his heart flip that he’d put that there.  Not his son, and not something to do with him, but Ed himself. 

“Come on, let’s go home,” Mustang said as he stepped back and held out his hand.

Ed took his hand.  “Dates over already?  I thought you had plans Mustang.”

He stopped and leaned closer to Ed until his lips brushed his ear as he talked.  “Oh, I do.  But you have no idea how many of my nights were filled with the thought of being in front of the fire with you under me, or sitting on the couch with you leaning over me, kissing me.  I have an evening with you to myself and, I believe, permission to pursue those fantasies at least.  I don’t plan to waste it.”

Mustang kissed him sweetly before he pulled back and he led the way to the car.  Ed was a little breathless as he walked.  He knew Mustang had thought of him while he was gone, but now he imagined something else entirely.  He could picture Mustang, alone in that big house of his, sitting in front of the fire with his glass filled and thoughts of Ed in his head.

It was an enticing thought and Ed was more than willing to explore those fantasies of Mustang’s. 

The silence in the car was too much for Ed this time and he watched Mustang instead.  “How early do you have to be back at the office tomorrow?” he asked.

Mustang let out a deep sigh.  “Far too early,” he answered.  “I keep hoping we’ll find some new clue looking over the old information but I’m afraid until we get another body, this case is going cold.”

“I’m sorry.  I know how that feels.”

Mustang smiled as he looked over at Ed.  “Yeah, I guess you do, don’t you.”

It was an acknowledgment of their years together, of the fact that no matter what shit they gave each other, that Ed understood what Mustang’s job was.  Ed knew that for most people that would be an obstacle.  Hell, Ed had listened to the horror stories in the office plenty of times about dates gone wrong or relationships turned sour because of the job.  They didn’t really have to worry about that particular obstacle.  Ed worried about Usain and about what the toll might be on his son, but if he and Mustang were really doing this, they could make it work and Usain was smart enough to understand.

Ed was caught in his thoughts the rest of the ride home and when Mustang let them in, he kicked his shoes off and left his jacket hanging by the door. 

Mustang had walked past him and Ed could hear the fire going already.  When he went into the other room, instead of Mustang’s usual tumblers, there were two wine glasses on the coffee table along with a bottle that he must have set out before he picked Ed up from Gracia’s.

Mustang was sitting on the couch and Ed decided not to waste any time.  He straddled Mustang’s thighs and pushed the jacket back off his shoulders.

“Ed, what are you doing?”  Mustang asked with a smile.

“Getting your head away from work, and cutting through all the bullshit before you get a phone call or someone shows up on our doorstep to take you away from me.”

“What about going slow?” Mustang teased as he settled his hands on Ed’s hips. 

“I said move forward slow, not go backwards,” he said as he leaned over Mustang and pressed their lips together.

Both of Mustang’s hands were buried in his hair then and, okay, Ed might develop a fetish for Mustang’s hands in his hair because there was something about the way he cradled Ed’s head, about the way his fingers tightened and released, the way he sometimes just ever so slightly tugged to get Ed to move the way he wanted, that was addicting.

He lost himself in the feel of the man beneath him, the warmth of his breath against his skin, the gentle pressure of his hands as they moved over his spine and back into his hair.  He learned to love the way he moaned into Ed’s mouth when Ed teasingly bit his lower lip and how his fingers involuntarily gripped Ed tighter every time he made Mustang chase his lips.

At some point, they shifted until Mustang was lying against the side arm of the couch and Ed was in the vee of his legs.  Their kisses had gone from passionate embrace to the lazy trace of tongues and lips.  Ed had no idea how late it was now but the fire had been growing steadily lower before he set his head against Mustang’s chest and felt the man’s arms pull him tighter in.  When he was happy with Ed’s position, one hand rested on Ed’s lower back and the other stroked through his hair.

“I’m never going to be able to cut my hair now,” Ed said into the silence.

Mustang let out a huff of a laugh.  “Were you planning on it?”

“No, but it was always nice to have the option.”

“I can’t stop you,” Mustang said, though his hand hadn’t stopped trailing through it.

“Um, but then you couldn’t do this and I’d hate myself.”

“Good to know,” Mustang said with a hint of smugness in his voice.   Ed let it go because he felt too damn good to say anything about it.

“So, do I measure up to those fantasies of yours?” Ed asked as he propped himself up to look at Mustang.

Mustang’s hand came up to Ed’s cheek and pulled him in for another kiss before he answered.  “As always, you surpass my every expectation.”

Ed thought he should probably get up and pull Mustang to bed – his own, as much as Ed enjoyed the thought of sharing a bed – but he didn’t want to move.  Mustang shifted them slightly and Ed was more on his side then.  He felt a blanket pulled up around his shoulders and instead of being on top of Mustang he was lying in his arms, his head pillowed on his shoulder and his leg draped over one of Mustang’s.  It was more comfortable, which Ed hadn’t thought possible until that moment, and he curled in closer to the other man.

“Roy?”

“Huhm?” Ed could hear the sleep in his voice.  He didn’t have the energy to give him a proper kiss for how cute he sounded but he pressed his lips to his neck instead and got a warm rumble of a sigh in response. 

“This was the best date I could ever imagine.”

“Me too, My Love,” he pressed his lips to Ed’s forehead in a soft kiss.  “Me too.”

 

***

 

The world tried to pull him away from sleep but Ed refused to let it.  He was warm and comfortable.  He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept so well, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to stay in bed as long as possible.

“Dad!”

Ed felt a finger poking at his face and he batted at it.  He tried to curl further into his bed but the poking kept going.

“Five more minutes, Usain.”

“Ed,” he felt a hand in his hair and looked up. 

And then fell off the couch as he realized he was lying on Mustang while his son was poking him in the face. 

He heard giggling and looked at his son.  “What?”

“You fell off the couch,” he said with a wide grin.  “And you fell asleep on Uncle Mustang.”

There was more laughter and Ed looked past his son to see his brother with Gracia and Elysia by the door.  

“I’m so sorry,” Gracia said as she smiled at Ed.  “We were going to ring the bell but Al let us in.”

“Let me get some tea on for you,” Mustang said as he got up from the couch.  He seemed perfectly at ease but Ed could see the slight tint of color to his cheeks. 

“Dad, are you getting up off the floor?” Usain asked as he looked at Ed.

Ed sighed.  “Yeah, I probably should, huh?”

Al came over and offered him a hand up.  He had a wide smile on his face and Ed shook his head.  No matter how much he was sure Gracia and Al wanted to say something, Usain was there and he couldn’t do that with his son there.   Or, ever, if he could avoid it.

Ed took the hand up and stretched as he did. 

“So….” Al said with a grin.

Ed stared at him.  “Anything you’d like to say in front of the kids, Al?” he said pointedly. 

Al’s eyes widened as he realized what Ed was getting at.  He smiled at Ed then.  “Nah, it can wait.  How about I fix us some breakfast?!” Al called to the kids. 

“I can help!” Elysia said and Usain grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the kitchen. 

Gracia watched them with a smile, then looked back at Ed.   “I’ll keep them occupied for a few minutes if you want to get cleaned up.”

He could see the question in her eyes but she was smiling at him. 

“Yeah, thanks.”

He made his way upstairs to his room and cleaned up as quickly as he could.  He’d washed up and changed his clothes.  He ran a brush through his hair and was about to pull it back when he felt fingers against his scalp.

He closed his eyes and leaned back to find Mustang behind him. 

“You really do have a thing about my hair,” he said softly.

Mustang’s nose brushed against his temple as he laughed softly.  “Yeah, I really do.”

“Sorry about last night.”

“What are you sorry about?” he asked.

“Falling asleep on you like that.”

Mustang pulled Ed around so they were facing each other.  He leaned down slowly, giving Ed the time to pull away if he wanted.  The kiss was soft and sweet and Ed smiled as Mustang pulled back.

“Nothing to be sorry about.  I am sorry that we were caught like that though.  What will you say to Usain?”

“He seemed to be fine with us falling asleep on the couch.  I just won’t complicate it.  For now, can we keep this between us?”

“And Al and Gracia?” Mustang teased.

“Since my brother apparently likes breaking and entering and brought Gracia along. I just … Usain,” he said as if that explained everything. 

“Ed, I know.  As long as this has been between us, this is still new.  I know we need to keep this from Usain until we have it worked out.  You let me know when you’re comfortable with that and then we’ll talk to him.”

Ed looked up at Mustang.  “When did you stop being such a bastard and become sweet to me?”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure the bastard will be back before too long,” he said with a grin.  “I’ll head back down.  I just wanted to check on you without the kids for a minute.”

Ed appreciated the thought and he pulled Mustang in for one more kiss.  When Mustang started to walk out, Ed stopped him.  “Roy, I had a really good time last night.  I don’t think I’d mind too much if you wanted to go on another date.”

Roy’s smile was brilliant and Ed was caught in it, unable to think of anything but the man across the room from him.  “As soon as I get another chance, I’ll see to it.” He looked down and then his expression was more serious.  “You know it’s going to be long hours still.”

“I know,” Ed said.  “And you’ll have to get going as soon as breakfast is done.  I know the drill.”

“Is Usain going to be angry?”

“No.  He’s starting to understand, I think, as much as he can.  And I think having Gracia and Elysia to play with will help keep him from realizing it when you have to work late all the time.  They’re a good distraction for him.”

“I hate not being here now.”

“I know.  But you have to take care of your people and I know how important that is to you.  Go be a hero.  We’re probably just going to spend the day here today anyway.  Unless Al and Gracia have something else in mind.”

Roy grinned.  “I’d expect a couple hours of play in the backyard for the kids and a very serious grilling for you by Al and Gracia.  Sorry to leave you to that.”

Ed laughed.  “I can handle them.”

“Dad!”  Usain came running into the room and stopped when he saw Ed.  “Uncle Al said to tell you to stop fooling around and come down to eat.  The General has work!”

The phone rang in the hall downstairs and Ed and Roy both tensed.  Without another word Roy headed down into the hallway.  “Alright, let’s get,” Ed said to his son.  They walked past Roy in the hallway and Ed could see it was bad news.  Well, there went breakfast together.

Gracia was finishing the food while Al and Elysia set plates on the table.  “One less,” he told Al.  “He’s going in now.”

“Oh and I had hoped to get a moment to talk to him,” Gracia said as he joined her.

“I bet,” he said with a smile.  He grabbed two pieces and toast and quickly made of sandwich of egg, bacon, lettuce, and tomato.  “You’ll have to do with me instead I suppose.  But I will say, thank you.  I don’t think last night would have happened without you.” 

He wrapped the sandwich in some brown paper and found a tall coffee mug that he knew Mustang used to travel with.  “Usain, need help with a cup,” he called to his son.  He filled the mug with coffee and then placed it on a small tile that had a transmutation circle drawn on it.  Usain came over with Elysia right behind him. 

“Uncle Mustang has to go to work?”

“Yeah, afraid so.  Time for him to go catch some bad guys, right?”

“Yeah!” Usain said with a grin.  He looked at the circle and concentrated hard until he set his fingers on the circle.  A lid grew over the top of the mug with a small hole left for drinking. 

“Perfect,” Ed said as he grabbed the mug and sandwich and set it on the counter for Mustang when he finished dressing.

“That’s pretty cool, Usain,” Al said as he looked at his nephew’s handiwork. 

Mustang walked into the room then, looking every bit the General.  His appearance was immaculate; from his well-trimmed hair to his perfectly shined shoes.  When Ed looked at him, the exhaustion he’d seen lately seemed to have been lifted and Ed wondered if he’d slept as well on the old couch with Ed in his arms as Ed had. 

“Thank you, Usain, that was very thoughtful of you,” Mustang said as he took the mug.  “And you,” he said to Ed when Ed handed him the food to go. 

“Didn’t look like the sort of phone call where you get to stick around after.”

Mustang shook his head.  “I’ll call you later when I have an idea of what’s happening.”  He leaned closer to Ed so that the words were only between the two of them.  “The Timber Alchemist and the Stone Crusher Alchemist,” he said softly.  “Both found together this morning.”

“Damn it,” Ed said quietly.  He didn’t know either of them but it didn’t matter.  Two more state alchemists.  “So you found where the guy is doing this?”

“No.  Timber was in central for his reassessment.  Not sure why Stone Crusher was with him but it appeared the two were sharing a room.  She should have been back in the East.  What I shouldn’t know,”

“But do,” Ed chimed in.  Mustang smiled at that.

“Is that they’ve been together for years.  They kept it quiet so that no one would keep them from working together.  And they were, honestly, the most evenly matched partners I’ve ever witnessed.”

“Let me know how everything is going.  And if you need Usain and I to stop by with lunch or anything today.  I know how you military types get when there is an investigation going on.”      

“Thanks.”  He looked like he was about to say more and he stopped himself before he looked over at the others.  Elysia and Usain were at the table, ready to eat, but Gracia and Al were both surreptitiously watching them.   “Nosey,” he said, but he was grinning when he did.

He took the food then and went to the table to press a kiss to Gracia’s cheek as well as Elysia’s.  Usain got rumpled hair before it was followed with a kiss to the top of his head.  Ed had a moment of regret that he wasn’t getting his own farewell kiss.

“Are you planning to stay the day, Alphonse?” Mustang asked.

His brother nodded.  “I wanted to go through the library for some reference material.”

Mustang nodded.  “The library and study are yours, as always.”

“Call if you need anything,” Al said as he took his seat at the table with the kids. 

Ed followed him down the hallway.  “Be careful.   Don’t forget, you might be a General, but you’re still a State Alchemist.”

Mustang smiled.  “Are you worried about me, Fullmetal?”

“Usain might miss you if you didn’t come home eventually.”

“Then I’ll have to take care, for his sake,” he said with a smile.  “And be careful yourself.  You aren’t a state alchemist now, but we don’t understand this man’s motives.  All of these alchemists were around when you were.  If he’s going after an old grudge, you could be a target as well.”

“We’ll be fine.  Just a day in the library.”

Mustang pulled him down the hall a step and before he could protest, Mustang’s hand was in his hair and his lips were brushing Ed’s.  Ed melted into it and when Mustang pulled back he leaned their foreheads together for a moment.

“You have to go.”

“Yeah, I have to go.  I wish I could stay though.”

Ed stepped back and smiled at Mustang.  “I know.  Go, find this guy so you can come home to us tonight.”

Mustang stepped away then and he was out the door a moment later.  When it closed behind him, Ed let out a deep breath and looked back at the other room.  He could hear the laughter from the other four and he smiled. 

No one said anything about what they’d walked in on that morning, but Ed knew it was only a matter of time until Usain and Elysia were occupied and he was left alone with Al and Gracia.

There were worse friends to confide in.

 

***

Gracia and Elysia stayed almost two hours after breakfast.  Usain was three years younger than Elysia but the two of them got along fabulously.  They played chase in the back yard and rolled around in the grass together while Al and Gracia gently teased him about his morning wake up call.

When they left, the Elrics went up to the study.  Al and Usain continued with their stacks of books they’d been collecting and Ed went about other research.

Among the books and scrolls, Mustang also kept his personal files in a locked cabinet. He’d started to keep a copy of his personal thoughts at home, in case anything happened to the files at the office.  He felt bad tricking Usain to use alchemy to unlock the cabinet, but it was for a good cause and Mustang would never know he’d been there. 

Ed began there, looking for any information Mustang had on the state alchemists who had been killed.  Five deaths so far and one thing Ed had learned in his time working with Mustang was that people who killed like that never stopped until someone stopped them. 

Ed made a list of what he knew about the people who had been murdered.

Andrew Lanbou, the Landslide Alchemist, was a middle aged alchemist from North City who specialized in using the earth.  The newspaper said he’d been shot and mugged, but what the paper didn’t mention was the chalk residue that Mustang had found at the scene, leading them to believe there had been a transmutation circle.

Warren Shultz, the Splitting Wood alchemist had died from blunt force trauma to the head when a wall exploded next to him.  Half of a transmutation circle had been found etched into the ground, but Mustang’s notes said he believed that the explosion had been set to destroy the whole area and it was luck alone that had saved half of it.  He was based in Central City and was often used to help with construction and reconstruction of the infrastructure.  The half of the transmutation circle that Ed had seen had a Xingese symbol, which Ed believed was causing something to be drained from the victims.  But there was no full circle to understand the full picture.  According to Mustang’s notes, the Metal Working Alchemist hadn’t gotten any farther with his research on it than Ed’s initial impression.  Ed memorized the circle that Mustang had drawn in the file and put it away.

The Stone Cold Alchemist, Crystal Sarah was a soldier.  She’d fought in Ishval.  Before that she was almost blind in her obedience to the state.  According to Mustang, that had changed after the war.  Then, she became cold, hard to get to.  She didn’t have friends and didn’t let anyone close.  The newspaper said she had been traveling abroad for the last year and had just come back the week before her death.  She hadn’t even reported back to work yet.  Mustang said she’d put up a fight before her death, though he hadn’t said how she died and the newspaper didn’t list the cause either. 

The Timber and Stone Crusher Alchemists had been killed together.  All Ed knew was what Mustang mentioned on his way out the door.  Tony Tailot had been in Central City for his reassessment and he’d brought his partner, both on the job and in their personal lives, with him.  Both Tailot and Candy Sandalva had died together, cause and location unknown for Ed.  They had both been from East City and from what Mustang had said, he probably knew more about them from personal experience than anything.

So, one alchemist from North City, two from East City, and two from Central City.   Mustang’s notes gave a quick description of their abilities; one worked in soil, two with stone, and two with wood.  Transmutation circles had been found in the first three sights, but only the second had still been visible when the team arrived.  Mustang had known two of the five personally.

Something was wrong about all of this and his mind kept going back to the Stone Cold Alchemist.  If she had been gone for so long, how did anyone know she was back? 

After he put all of Mustang’s files back in order he smiled as he went into the study with his brother and son.  “Hey, Al, mind if I pop out for a bit?”

“What are you doing, Brother?” he asked suspiciously. 

“Just need some air.  Thought I might walk over to that deli a few blocks over and grab us some dinner.”

Al knew him too well to believe it, but he sighed.  “Alright.  But don’t be gone too late.  If you miss dinner on your way to pick up dinner, I’m going to feed Usain nothing but candy and leave you to his sugar rush.”

Usain looked up at that.  “Candy?”

Ed laughed.  “Be good for Uncle Al, alright squirt?  I’ll be back in a bit with dinner.”

Usain nodded and turned his attention back to his book and Ed couldn’t help the sappy smile on his face.  The kid was so much like him sometimes, it was hard to believe he wasn’t biologically his. 

“Ugh, this lady is an idiot!” Al said to the radio.

Ed went over to where his brother was and heard Mustang’s radio playing softly behind him.  It was one of the local talk shows and as soon as he heard the voice of the Glacial Alchemist he didn’t need to ask why Al was upset. 

“She’s just jealous,” Al said.  He was unerringly loyal to the Flame Alchemist and he’d never done well when people criticized the people he loved.  “No matter what’s happening, as soon as Mustang is on the news, someone starts talking to her and asking her opinion on matters.  She works with water.  What does she have to do with investigating murders and keeping the peace?  Why does anyone care what she thinks?”

“They don’t,” Ed reminded him.  “But every time she does something with her research, they call Mustang and he bad mouths her right back.  No one cares if they have the credibility to talk about it.  They just care that the two have a very strong professional rivalry and it makes for a lot of shop talk for their listeners.”

“Have you ever met her?”

“Once.  You remember when the team came to Creta for the Ambassador’s birthday?” Al nodded.  “She was there as well.  She was very nice and polite and when she and Mustang spoke they were highly civil.”

“Really?”

“Yep.  Right up until someone asked her opinion about something and she and Mustang started to bicker back and forth.  They both seemed to enjoy it.  Actually, at the time, I thought they were lovers.  When I told Mustang that I thought he was going to fall over laughing.  He said they both appreciated a peer who could keep them on their toes and that was the extent of their relationship.  I think at this point, it’s just PR for the both of them.”

“If you say so.  Now, hurry up before I start to get hungry.  I’m sure whatever your detour takes won’t be short.”

Ed left then without another word.  It wasn’t a short walk, but it did happen to be close to their favorite deli.  The home of the Stone Cold Alchemist didn’t reveal anything that seemed important to their investigation, but Ed felt he knew her better now.

He arrived at the deli later than he’d intended but he thankfully made it home before his brother went through with his promise of candy and a sugar-crazed kid.

 

***

 

“Mustang Residence,” Ed said into the phone as he watched his son race down the stairs.  It was early evening and Ed wasn’t sure if he should be expecting a call saying Mustang was running late or not coming back at all.  Three days since the deaths of the Timber and Stone Crusher Alchemists and Mustang was running on fumes again.  It had been long nights and lunches spent over a desk full of files. 

“Is that the infamous Fullmetal Alchemist I hear?”

Ed laughed into the phone.  “The Fullmetal Alchemist retired.  I hear he’d been replaced by a Cretan hot-head that turns sand to glass.”

There was a return laugh on the other end of the phone.  “How are you, Ed?”

“Good,” he looked down at Usain and shook his head.  “It’s not Mustang, buddy.”

“Is that Usain?”

“It’s Georgia,” he said as he handed the phone off.  The conversation lasted a few minutes while Usain talked to the Glass Alchemist.  It had been a year since he’d last seen her.  They had met in Creta the week Ed moved there.  Eventually, she’d moved to Amestris and after his recommendation, she’d joined the Amestrian army and become a state alchemist.  Usain had fond memories of her last visit.

“Dad,” Usain handed the phone back to him.  “Don’t talk too long or Uncle Mustang will miss storytime.”

Ed sighed as he took the phone back.

“Uncle Mustang, is it?”

“Georgia.”

“I happened to notice you answered Mustang Residence when I called.”

“That would be because I moved back in with Mustang when I came home to Amestris.”

“You’re the only one I know who leaves the military and moves in with his CO.”

“I’d love to chit chat Georgia, but I have a son to placate and if you make him miss his nightly call from Mustang, it’s your head I’m coming for.”

“Things rough between you?”

“Work.  Long hours.”

“Heard about the deaths in Central.  I wanted to check in and see if you and your brother were doing okay.”

“You know they’re just going after State Alchemists.”

“So far.  And you used to be one.  I don’t know why you like to forget that fact.”

“I ignore it whenever convenient.  I’m quite capable of reminding everyone when I need to.”

“Promise me you’re taking care of yourself.”

“I am,” he said.  “As everyone keeps reminding me, I have a son to take care of.  I can’t go running off after criminals anymore.”

“Right.  So how often have you run off after this?”

He laughed softly.  “I might be keeping tabs on the investigation.  From a civilian stand point.”

“Edward, please tell me someone knows what you’re up to.”

“Apparently you do.”

“Just, tell me you’ll be safe.”

“I always am.”

“Keep your hands clean, Fullmetal.”

“Keep your head up, Glass.”

He hung up the phone then and stared down at it.  He should have warned her to stay away but he knew her better.  He figured before too long he’d get a visit from the Glass Alchemist.    He should probably warn Mustang.  Or not.  Glass could be a lot for anyone to take.

“Dad?” He heard in the other room.

The phone rang again and this time, Ed smiled.  “Usain, I think its story time!”

 

***

“Is Uncle Al waiting for us?” Usain asked as they walked towards the front gates of the military complex.  They’d been there plenty of times, but instead of heading up to Mustang’s office they were meeting Al outside today for lunch.

“Maybe.  We agreed to wait at the front gate.  We’ll have to see if we beat him there or not.”

Usain was practically dragging him to the gate and Ed was happy enough to let him.  It was a beautiful day in Central City and it was nice to get out and about without an agenda.  Usain skipped ahead of him then ran back and forth, letting out some much needed energy. 

“Are we going to the library when we’re done?” Usain asked.

“Well, it’s no doubt that you’re my son.”

“Good thing,” Ed heard from the gate house.  “If he didn’t act like you, it would be questionable.”

Ed smiled up at the guard.  It wasn’t the first time someone had commented on how different Ed and Usain looked.  “Hey Pol, how are you today?”

“Good.  Do I need to call up for you or are you sneaking up on the General today?”

“No, not today.  We’re just waiting for my brother.”

“So the Armored Alchemist is here today?”

“He came in early,” Ed said, knowing that Pol usually didn’t take over the guard duty until mid-morning.  “He’s doing first aid alchemy training today.  And don’t let him hear you call him the Armored Alchemist.  You know he isn’t a state alchemist.”

“Might as well have been, from what I understand.”

Ed laughed.  “Nah, he’s better off away from all of that, no offense.”

“None taken,” Pol said.  “How are you doing today, young Mr. Elric?” he asked Usain.

Usain smiled.  “We’re taking Uncle Al to lunch!”

“Good thing he’s hungry!” Ed heard from behind them.

“Hey Al,” Ed called to him.  Usain was already running towards his uncle and barely managed to keep his feet when Usain ran into him.

“I figured I’d come out and find the two of you had snuck in to the office,” Al said.  A woman stood a few steps behind him and Al smiled back at her.  “Andrea, this is my brother, Ed.  And my nephew, Usain.”

“Brother, Usain, this is the Healing Alchemist, Andrea Helmen.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Ed said as he shook her hand. 

When she offered her hand to Usain, his son looked pointedly at Ed, then kissed the back of the alchemist’s hand.  Ed groaned.  “I am definitely having a talk with Mustang about what he’s teaching you.”

She laughed at the exchange.  “Since you don’t seem to need any company while you wait, I’ll see you after lunch.”

“You’re more than happy to join us,” Ed said. 

“Please do,” Al joined in.  “You can help make sure I’m not late coming back for the second half of training.  I have a terrible memory for time when my nephew is involved.”

“If it isn’t an imposition.  I have to say, I’ve always wanted to meet the former Fullmetal Alchemist.”

“Let’s go find some grub then,” Ed said as he held a hand out for Usain. 

His son grabbed his hand and Ed smiled.  Alphonse walked in front of them with Andrea.  She looked back at them.  “Where are we headed?”

“How about the Xingese place?” Alphonse asked.

 Andrea nodded and Usain smiled.   “Dad?”

“Yeah, sounds good to me.”

The place wasn’t far from Central.  In fact, Ed knew about it from Mustang’s crew.  After two years living in Xing, Al had come home and said it truly was authentic Xingese food.  The owner, an immigrant from Xing, had nearly cried when Al compared the fare to what he’d eaten when he and Mei had visited Ling at the Imperial Palace. 

They were quickly seated at a table on the patio out front and menus were passed around.  Ed was trying to get his son to decide on what he wanted, hoping he’d get to eat his own order instead of the usual game where Usain decided he wanted what Ed had ordered instead and Ed got stuck with his, when Usain jumped up from his chair. 

Usain knew better than to run off and Ed knew there was only one thing that could get him to do it so instead of running after his son, he looked up into the crowd.  An instant later he heard the telltale, “Uncle Mustang!”

“Usain?”

Ed stood, and saw Mustang down the street, with Usain.  He waved when Mustang looked up.  He smiled as he saw Ed and came over towards their table.  “It seems you lost something.”

“Odd how that only happens when you’re around to find him.”

“My good luck, I guess.”

“What are you doing out, without Hawkeye?” he asked.

“I am perfectly capable of grabbing my own lunch, Ed.”

“With what’s happening, I doubt Hawkeye is thrilled with you being alone.  I’m not, and it’s not my job to keep you safe.”

“Why, Fullmetal, do you care?” Mustang teased.

“General Mustang,” Al stood at the table.  “I’d like you to meet Andrea Hemlen, the Healing Alchemist.  Andrea, this is the Flame Alchemist, General Roy Mustang.”

“It is a pleasure,” Mustang said as he nodded to her.

“It is an honor, General Mustang.”

“Anything but that,” Ed complained.  “Mustang doesn’t need the ego boost at lunch.”

“Are you eating with us, Uncle Mustang?”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude, Usain,” Mustang said to the boy at his side.

“Usain, come have a seat.  And Mustang, grab a chair.  You know you aren’t intruding,” Ed said.

“You’re rather bossy.  No one would ever know I was actually your superior officer.”

He came around the table though and Usain butted against Ed until he took the hint and moved chairs so his son could sit next to Mustang. 

The General was quite pleased with that arrangement and immediately began to talk to him about the menu. 

Al laughed at Ed’s disgruntled groan.  “Why do you ever expect to get any attention when the General is around?”

“Hawkeye asks me every time I visit the office and Mustang steals him from me.”

“I can hardly be blamed for his good taste,” Mustang answered.

Andrea laughed and Ed decided it was a good time to focus on Al’s friend since Mustang seemed to have Usain in hand. 

“And how did you get stuck with my brother today?” he asked her.

Andrea smiled.  “I was required to attend his first aid training.”

“Which is ridiculous, since she’s the Healing Alchemist,” Al said.  “She’s been gracious enough to help me teach it instead of being bored by it.”

“It’s quite entertaining, actually,” Andrea said.  “He’s a good teacher. “

“And the older alchemists who are forced to attend?” Mustang asked.

“They bicker among themselves about having to attend lessons from such a young alchemist, one who is not a state alchemist.  And when they ask a question to try to trip him up, they get confused when they can’t comprehend his answers.”

“I had heard as much,” Mustang said.

“You’ve been keeping an eye on me?” Al asked.

“Since you were eleven,” Mustang reminded him.  “But since the new training began there was some concern that some of the older alchemists might have trouble.  Those of us who’ve seen battle understand the importance but many of our research alchemists aren’t as keen to take time away from their projects.”

“That’s silly,” Usain said as he added his opinion.  “Uncle Al is the best alchemist ever.”

“I’d feel offended if it were anyone else,” Mustang said.

“And what will you study when you become an alchemist?” Andrea asked Usain.

“Dad and Uncle call it agricultural alchemy.”

“What?”

“I’m going to make plants grow better.”

“Oh, what a lovely idea,” Andrea said with a smile.  “May I ask what inspired that?”

“We lived in Creta and there was no rain and people were hungry.  Dad was teaching me about Uncle Al’s paper on alchehestry and I decided to make plants healthy.”

“That’s amazing.  You seem to be rather well traveled then.  Creta and Amestris.”

“I’ve been to Drachma too,” Usain admitted.  “And I lived in Aerugo before we moved back here to Amestris.”

“It seems you’ve been quite the nomad.  I don’t think I know anyone else who’s lived in so many places,” she confided.

Usain smiled up at Ed and Ed returned it.  “We moved around a bit.  Al and I did when we were younger, though mostly through Amestris.”

“Yes, Al said as much and that he’d gone to Xing.”

“Al had a far more adventurous time, I believe,” Ed said.  “As much as I learned about the variations of alchemy in the surrounding countries, Al had to learn something entirely different.”

“As someone who has read all three papers on the difference from our alchemy to the Xingese, Cretan, and Aerugo alchemies, I can say it’s all rather fascinating,” Mustang chimed in.

“I didn’t know there was a paper about Aerugo,” the Healing Alchemist said.  “I’ve read the others.”

“It’s not out yet,” Ed said.  “Poor General Bastard gets stuck reviewing all our work before it’s published.”

Al grinned.  “He probably has them memorized by the time they ever get published, after all the edits we go through.”

The conversation continued good-naturedly after they ordered their food.  Once it came, Mustang and Andrea kept it going while Ed and Al ate with their usual gusto.  Usain was more subdued with Mustang there to watch him and Ed couldn’t help but smile at Mustang every time his son started to get messy and stopped to look askance of Mustang. 

Andrea seemed to be amused by it and Ed liked her more and more as they spoke.  It was obvious she and Al were good friends. 

Once the food was cleared away they walked back towards the gates. 

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Major,” Mustang said to Andrea as they began to part ways.

“And you General.  The rumors that surround you are always… interesting.  It’s nice to be able to put a man behind all that.”

Al laughed.  “We’d better get back before they decide I’m not coming back to teach.  Am I intruding if I steal your study for the weekend, General?”

Mustang shook his head.  “As always, it’s yours whenever you need it.  No matter how many times you ask.”

Al seemed embarrassed by it and Ed smiled because he knew his brother well enough to know that he’d continue to ask, no matter that they all knew the General would never say no. 

“So I’ll see you this weekend, Al!” Ed said.  They both waved and walked through the gates together.   

“Are you coming home tonight, Uncle Mustang?”

“I’m trying,” Mustang said.  “If I can make it there, I will.”

“Be careful out there.  And don’t make me call Hawkeye to complain about your security.”

Mustang frowned at Ed and he laughed.  “Catch you later, Bastard.”

That at least brought a smile to Mustang’s face.  “See you at home, Brat.”

 

***

 

“Brother, I don’t think we should be doing this.”

Al sighed as he looked back at Ed.  “Come on.  There’s nothing wrong with doing a little leg work.  The crime scenes have all been cleared away.  I just wanted to look at the layout myself.”

“You really think you can divine something by looking down alleyways?”

“I don’t know,” Ed said with a frustrated shrug.  “What I do know is that every body we’ve found so far has been in an alley along the military parade line.”

“Brother, that doesn’t narrow anything down really.  There are a lot of alleys on the parade route.  And everyone in the military knows the route.  Most the civilians in Central do too.”

“Right, but who in the military would know it best?  Not the higher ups who sit in their cars or up in command to watch the proceedings, and not the soldiers who have to march in it.”

“The guards who have to keep the lines back and walk the streets to make sure it’s safe.”

“Exactly.  They have to walk it.  They’d know it better than anyone, including the best corners to hide in and how to get away.  They’re the ones chasing people down on foot if something happens during a parade.”

“It’s a stretch.”

“Yeah, I know.  But I can’t let it go without at least walking it myself once.  And I know the Bastard would kill me if I came out here alone.”

“Gee, thanks, Brother.  Now I’m going to get in trouble with the General for letting you come out here.”

Ed huffed.  “He won’t even know.”

It was the second alley they’d walked down.  They were visiting the alleys in order of who had been killed, just to see if there was something about the movement that set off bells in Ed’s head. 

Gracia had been more than happy to have Usain over for the day and Al had been planning to do some research.  Instead, he was trudging after his brother like the old days.  Ed could find some comfort in that, even if nothing else about the situation was good.

Ed hadn’t seen much of Mustang since their lunch two days ago.  They might not have any new leads but word had come down from the Fuhrer that this was a top priority, as if Mustang wasn’t already on that, and there was far more pressure on the team now.

They stopped for lunch after they’d visited all four sights where the bodies had been found but there was nothing new to give Ed information that might help.  Instead, they started up again and walked down the random alleyways along the path. 

There were some he noted with areas that were well enough covered that you could possibly commit murder and get away with it but there was nothing that said these places were any more likely to be the scene of a crime than any other. 

He was about to call an end to the day when something caught his eye.  A body in a doorway.  It wasn’t uncommon to see the homeless sleeping in doorways in the side alleyways, but something wasn’t right.  He moved closer and Al followed behind him.

“Sir?” he called out.

There was no answer and Ed moved close enough to touch the man.  He shook him and the cloak around him fell to reveal a military uniform.  Ed cursed as he reached for the man’s pulse.  “Damn it.”

“Brother?”

Ed reached into the man’s pocket and cursed again.  “Al, we need to get word to Mustang.  It’s a state alchemist.”

“Should be easy enough,” Al said rather cryptically as he ran off.  Ed looked around the scene and saw the blood seeping under the man.  At the edge was a circle of white and Ed knew what he needed to do.  “Al!” he called out, even as he dipped his fingers in blood and began to draw a separate circle. 

The transmutation was quickly drawn and Al came running over as it was finished.  “Al,” he said his brother’s name but didn’t need to say anything else.  They’d worked together for too long for his brother not to see the circle and do what was needed.

As Al pushed his hands down to activate the circle there was a shout from the other end of the alley.  Ed heard the telltale sound of metal and transmutation.  A blade flashed close and Ed jumped back.  The Metal Working Alchemist came at him, but Ed dodged.

“What the hell?!” he demanded.

When the alchemist came at him again, Ed feigned to the side but came up under his swing and pushed him face first into the wall, knocking his sword with his transmutation circle to the ground.  He was caught tight.

“Would you stop attacking me!”

“Fullmetal, what the hell are you doing?” Ed looked down the alley to find Mustang and his team there. 

“That was fast.”

“They were already up the street, Brother.”

 Ed let go of the other alchemist now that Mustang was there.  He turned his back on the others and saw that the circle had worked.  All the blood from the victim was pulled to the side and away from the circle it had been covering. 

“I need paper,” he called out.  He looked up when Breda handed him a sheet and a pencil.  He drew the circle before it could dissipate.  Al had pulled the blood away but the circle was lightly drawn with chalk.  It wasn’t meant to last long. 

When he was done he stood up and looked at the circle.

“Ed, what are you doing here?” Mustang asked.

“Trying to decipher this circle if you’d give me a minute.”

“Ed,” Mustang demanded his attention and Ed looked up at him.  “What are you doing at the scene with a dead body?”

He realized then how it looked and even if Mustang and his men knew Ed wasn’t a killer, he had to give them the truth to pass out to anyone else who asked.  “I realized the murders were all taking place on the parade route so I decided to take a look myself.  Al and I just happen to find the body and I sent him off to get you.  I realized the blood was covering the transmutation circle and drew one for Al to activate to pull the blood away before it seeped in too deep to separate them.  And then your alchemist attacked me.”

Mustang stared at him and Ed realized it was more than annoyance.  Mustang was furious.  He’d pushed the man to his limits plenty of times in his youth, always grateful to be able to see past Mustang’s infamous control, but this was something else entirely.

Al had backed away from the body and Breda and Havoc were beginning their investigation. 

“Sir, if he’s this far into the investigation, we might as well bring him in,” Hawkeye said from behind his shoulder.  “You know them.  They won’t let it go.”

Mustang stared at him a moment longer.  “Elrics, you’ve officially joined this investigation.  You report to my office now.”

“I’m not a military dog, Mustang,” Ed demanded.

Mustang took  step closer to Ed and the man was dead serious.  “Then you’ll go to the brig for obstruction of justice.  Which would you prefer?”

“Brother,” Al interceded before Ed could say anything.  He looked at Mustang and stepped between them.  “General, of course we want to help out.  If we’d thought it was an actual lead we would have said something to you.”

Mustang’s anger seemed to lessen as he looked at Al.  He nodded, then walked towards the front of the alley, calling orders out to his team as he went.

“Brother, I think you’re in real trouble this time.”

“It’s Mustang.  What else is new.”

Al looked back at him and shook his head.  “I’m pretty sure that wasn’t normal.”  Ed didn’t answer because there was nothing he could say against the truth.  Instead he focused on the circle.

“We aren’t needed here, Brother,” Al said as he pulled at Ed’s arm.  “Let’s get back to the office and take a look at what you found.”

“They might need-”

“If they need us, they’ll let us know.  Let them do their job, and we’ll do our part.”

Ed eventually shook his head.  “Yeah, alright.”

The walk back to Command was quick and Ed and Al were let in without question.  A quick call to Gracia gave him all the reassurances he needed that Usain was well and she was willing to watch him tonight. 

The discussion began then as Ed and Al debated back and forth between them.  Ed didn’t realize how long they had been at it until the team came back. 

Mustang went straight to his office and the others filled them in on the murder.  The Sword Alchemist, Scot Mercende, had been reported missing from work that morning.  Considering the recently murders, Mustang’s team had been notified as soon as the man had been an hour late.  They’d spent the day trying to track him down.  He was based in Central and was part of the research development, using alchemy to make better weapons. 

“What a waste of alchemy,” Ed said as he ran his hand over the transmutation circle. 

“Because he made weapons?” Deccar demanded.

“Of all the things we can do with alchemy, why would you want to continue to make something with the sole purpose of destroying other people?” Ed demanded.

“Because some people believe in fighting for what they believe in,” the Metal Working Alchemist said as he stepped too close into Ed’s face. 

“Back off, both of you,” Mustang barked as he walked back into the room.

Ed glared at Metal Working but when Al nudged him, he looked over at Mustang.

“Fullmetal, what did you find?”

“Ed and I still can’t be 100% sure,” Al started but Ed cut him off.

“The circle isn’t killing them, but it’s draining their life.”

“How do you mean?”

Ed looked over at the Metal Working Alchemist and then back at Mustang, pointedly asking how much he should say in front of him.

“How do you mean, Fullmetal?” he demanded.

“So it takes a lot of souls to make a philosoher’s stone, but everybody’s soul has the energy.  As an alchemist we have access to more of it through our gates and, in extreme emergencies, some of us have been able to use our own internal stone to do things that should be beyond our own power.”

“Like healing yourself if you were impaled,” Al said before anyone could mention what Ed did to bring his body back in front of Deccar.

“This circle is draining that same energy.  And like with the homunculi, when the stone is destroyed, the body remained behind with only a little energy left.”

“So he’s draining the bodies and killed them afterwards?” Mustang asked.

“And using the manner of death to destroy the transmutation circles before we can find it.” Al added.

“If you hadn’t seen the chalk residue at the first scene and if the destruction had been what it was supposed to be at the second, you wouldn’t have considered alchemy to be a part of any of it.  You would have just assumed the killer was after state alchemists.”

“So what is that supposed to tell us?” The Metal Working Alchemist asked.  Ed could tell he was just being an ass but he ignored him.

“It means the death was a secondary objective.  It’s just something to cover his tracks,” Mustang said.  “The real purpose of the killer is in the alchemy.”

“And we have no idea what he wants to do with the energy he’s collecting,” Ed said.

“Is it the makings of another philosopher’s stone?”

“This would be a really slow way of building one, if it was,” Ed answered Mustang.  “And how many people would have had access to the research that said how to make one?”

“Looks like we have a new lead,” Havoc said.  The team was grim with a new death, but Ed could see a new energy infuse them as they had something new to work with. When he glanced at his brother, he saw Al’s slight smile.  It was nice to be part of the team, even if it was just for a moment. 

His eyes tracked up to Mustang’s then and Ed felt his back straightened.  No matter how professional the man was being now, his anger was barely hidden.  It would be a long night, no matter what the outcome. 

 

***

 

Ed left the office before the others, but only when Mustang ordered him home.  When he tried to protest, Mustang looked at him and said “Go get your son,” and walked out of the room.  Ed wanted to argue that he wasn’t letting any of the others go home early, but Ed stopped short at a look from his brother.

Al had always been the smarter of the two.

He picked Usain up from Gracia with a thank you and the knowledge that she was willing to keep an eye on him while Ed was working with Mustang on this murder case.  She knew the job, and the hours, and though Usain was upset he wasn’t going to be with his dad as much, he was thrilled to spend more time with Elysia and Gracia.

It was late enough already that Ed stopped to grab dinner on the way home and he and Usain ate quickly as his son told him about his day playing with Elysia and visiting the Ishvalan Memorial Gardens. 

They were listening to a radio program in the study when Mustang made it home.  Usain ran out of the room and Ed followed, though he stayed well back.  He could hear the hard edge of Mustang’s voice but he was nothing but kind and loving to Usain.  He heard them in the kitchen and he listened to the sound of his son’s laughter as he kept Mustang company while he ate.

When they came out of the kitchen and down the hallway, Mustang stopped when he saw Ed there.  Ed wasn’t sure what to say. 

“Usain, why don’t you go up to the study and listen to the radio,” Mustang suggested.

They both knew it was time for one of his favorite shows so he ran off happily.  Mustang walked back towards the front room and Ed followed at a slower pace. 

He was surprised when Mustang had already knocked back one drink and started to refill his cup. 

“Mustang,” he started to say but the man turned to look at him and there was murder in his eyes.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Ed?”

“What are you so bent out of shape about?  Al and I just went to that alley and found the body.  We weren’t doing anything dangerous.”

“The only reason for you to be there at all was because you were investigating the murders on your own.”

“Of course I was.  You won’t let me help and people are dying.”

“There’s a reason I didn’t ask for your help, Ed!” Mustang yelled.

It was the only time he’d ever yelled at Ed in their home.  “Yeah, I get it!  You’ve got the new guy and you don’t need me.  But he doesn’t know half of what I know, even if I can’t do alchemy anymore.  And that still didn’t stop me from being able to find the transmutation circle before it was completely lost, did it!”

“That’s not the point!  Damn it, Ed, you are not a state alchemist anymore!”

“I know!  You think I don’t!  You think there isn’t a second of every god damned day that I don’t know that I can’t do alchemy anymore?  You think it’s not an ache I can’t get rid of?  But I don’t need alchemy to be useful!”

“Your place is here!” Mustang screamed.  “This isn’t about alchemy!  This isn’t about the team!  If you’d listen just once to what I’m trying to say then you’d know!  But you’re too caught up in still being Fullmetal to be anything else.”

He walked past Ed and before Ed could say anything else he was at the door with his jacket in hand.

“Roy? Where are you going?”

“You keep your secrets from me, Ed.  Guess I get to keep some from you too.  The only difference, is my secrets don’t endanger your son.”

He walked out without another word and Ed was left staring at a closed door with the feeling that Mustang wouldn’t be walking back through it anytime soon.

 

***

 

It was another late night and Ed’s head was spinning.  Usain was with Sheska tonight and she’d promised him they could stay late at the library when no one else was around. Usain was thrilled and Ed was happy his son wasn’t resenting him for putting the hours in lately.

He sighed as he rubbed at the tension in his forehead and tugged his jacket on a second later.  It’d been more than seven years since he’d gotten his arm back, but sometimes he still felt the cold of metal creeping up his arm and into the metal plates that had remained in his shoulder.  Phantom pains, he and Winry had discussed.  He’d had them before the automail arm and he had them in strange ways since his arm had been returned.

“Brother, are you okay?” Al asked.

Ed sighed.  “Yeah, just need a little caffeine I think.”

“I could stretch my legs.  I’m gonna go grab us something.  You wanna come?”

“Nah, I need to keep looking at this.”

“I could take the break,” Breda said as he stood up.

“Cool.  Thanks Heymans.  Anyone else want anything?”

They got a list of orders and Ed sighed as things quieted down again in the room.  The radio was playing softly behind them and it switched from music to a talk show.  Ed looked at his brother’s empty seat as soon as he heard the night’s first visitor on the show.  The Glacial Alchemist.  Ed let out a huff and was glad Al had already left because his brother would never let it go.

“What, you don’t like this show?” Havoc asked.

“Al hates it.  He doesn’t like how often the Glacial Alchemist is on the show lately.”

“Bad blood?” Havoc asked.

“Nah,” Ed said.  “Alphonse doesn’t like what she has to say about the General.”

“There’s nothing wrong with showing a little loyalty,” Deccar sniped.

It was little things that were starting to eat at Ed.  Mustang gave them all orders the same as before, but he spoke to Al, instead of Ed, or addressed them as Elrics.  Unless there was some reason to call him out specifically, Mustang didn’t even acknowledge his existence.  When he was bickering with the others, Mustang would call them to silence, when if Ed wasn’t a part of it he would leave them be.  Ed’s part on the team was dismissed by Mustang in every way he could, outside of actually dismissing Ed from the team. 

The rest of the team tried to bolster him up and did their best to include him, but Metal Working was the exact opposite.  He was rude and offensive and bordered on hostile.  Al said it was because no one could possibly live up to the Fullmetal Alchemist’s reputation.  Ed said it was because he was an ass.

“No, I guess not,” Ed said with a smile.  “It’s what dogs are good for, right?” he asked.  Yeah, Ed wasn’t much better in return but at least Ed didn’t go out of his way to start fights with Deccar.  Though Al pointed out, he didn’t need to. 

“And you were any better, Fullmetal?” Deccar said.

“Don’t call me Fullmetal.  I’m not a dog of the military, and even when I had the watch, I never was.  You want my loyalty, you earn it.  You don’t get it because of a couple stripes on your shoulder.”

“Those men have been through more than an ass like you could ever dream!”

Ed knew that Deccar was on the military path.  He was like Mustang, and wanted to rise in the ranks, rather than just be happy with his lot as a State Alchemist.

“I was kicking the shit out of Amestris’ enemies while you were still playing with your first alchemy set!” Ed yelled.  “Don’t tell me what ‘those men’ went through.  I was ‘those men’!”

The door opened and Al and Breda came back with the drinks and snacks everyone asked for but Ed barely paid them any attention.

“And yet here you are, nothing more than a glorified housewife, trying to get back to his glory days.”

“Major Deccar!  That is enough!” Mustang yelled into the room.

Deccar looked at Ed and his glare was furious.  The man practically idolized the General and he hated getting called out by him.  Especially when it was between the two of them, because Mustang never called Ed out.

“Maybe you should go work with the Glacial Alchemist, if you hated working here so much.”

Ed scoffed.  “Maybe I should.  Research has been after me for years, even before I left the military.  She seems to have a good head on her shoulders; I’ve been told she treats her people well.”  He looked over at Mustang and finished pointedly, “And I hear she’s not such a Bastard to her people.”

Mustang’s jaw clenched and Ed could see the way his fists did as well.  He didn’t respond though, just walked out the room.  The exact same way he’d walked out of their home the other night.  Ed still didn’t know where Mustang was staying, but when Ed checked, his personal effects had been removed from the bathroom and all but his extra uniform had been taken as well. 

Ed looked over at his brother and Al’s eyes were clouded with worry.  Ed hated it, but he couldn’t back down from who he was.  Not for Metal Working, and definitely not from the Flame Alchemist.

Breda broke the silence as he started to hand out coffee and food and Ed realized their argument had an audience of one.  One of the guards had helped Al and Breda bring stuff up.  Al had him smiling a moment later and the tension in the office was toned down as they turned the radio off and started to throw out ideas to one another again.

 

***

 

The call out the next morning was more than Ed wanted to deal with.  Usain had been a grumpy mess and he’d complained the whole time about wanting to see Uncle Mustang.  Ed had snapped at him and then had to apologize which did nothing for his temper.  Gracia was an angel as always and didn’t blink an eye at the early hour.  She took Usain in and shoved him into the spare bed in Elysia’s room and handed Ed a coffee and a bag of pastries for the team, when they were able.

He arrived on the scene behind the others and there was a muted energy to them.  Ed recognized the possibility of a new lead, but something else had happened.  Something made this one different. 

“About time,” Mustang grumbled under his breath.

“I had to take Usain to Gracia,” he said.  “Remember, I have a son?  His name’s Usain in case you forgot it.”  It was a shitty thing to say, especially since Ed knew that Mustang called Usain every night for story time, no matter where he was and what Mustang was in the middle of.

He walked away before Mustang could call him out on it, even while he knew he wouldn’t.  Instead he walked towards Havoc and Breda who were standing over a body.  Al was with them and his brother gave him a grim smile.

“Morning, Brother.”

“Hey, Al.  Hey guys.  What have we got?”

Havoc looked up at him and sighed.  “Remember the radio program we were listening to last night?”  Ed nodded.  “This is the Glacial Alchemist.”

When Havoc pulled the cloth off of her body, Ed gasped.  She had been stabbed repeatedly. 

“Is there a …”

“Yeah.  I already checked,” Al said.  “Right under the body was a transmutation circle.  I made a drawing of it so we could check it against the other.”

Al held the paper out and Ed took it in hand.  As he looked it over, he felt Mustang come up behind him.  “This is the same one.  I don’t see any changes.”

“Lison Gantry was probably the most famous alchemist in the country, besides the three of us,” Mustang said.  “She always had a bit of a problem with people who hated her public opinions and she was very careful of her personal security.  When this killer began, she was given two military guards at all times.  They haven’t reported in to Central.  Armstrong is sending people over to check on them.”

“You knew her, Sir,” Hawkeye said softly.

“I spoke with her yesterday,” he said, running a hand over his eyes.  “She hasn’t had any trouble and wasn’t worried.  She joked that the security was more for PR than actual need.  She wouldn’t have come to an alley like this though, without her guard detail.  Not without a hell of a reason.”

“How well did you know her, General?” Ed asked.

The others stilled and he realized how that could be taken. 

“We were occasionally friends.  Is there anything else you’d like to ask, Fullmetal?”

“We were talking about her in the office yesterday.  Where the hell is Deccar?  That’s what we were fighting about yesterday.  And now she’s dead?”

“And the way she was killed?” Breda commented.  “This is far more personal than anything else we’ve seen.”

Mustang looked over at Hawkeye.  “Did you get through to him yet?”

“No sir.”

“Havoc, go with Hawkeye to Deccar’s apartment.  We haven’t been able to reach him yet.  Hunt him down.”

“Sir!” They called in unison.

They left the alleyway and Mustang turned towards Ed.  “Ed, you and Al head back to Headquarters.  Get over to research and see what Lison was working on.  See if there was anything in research that connects the victims or any reason she might have been meeting someone in this area last night.  If two of our victims were doing research make sure the others weren’t helping out in any way over there.”

“On it,” he said, forgetting about the animosity between them in the wake of another murder.  Al was at his side as they made their way towards the center of the city. 

“Do you think Micah is okay?” Al asked.

“Micah?”

“Deccar.  You do know he has a first name, right?”

Ed gave his brother a tight smile.  “He probably just had a late night and found someone to go home too.  How about when we get to the office we check in and make sure he isn’t at his desk, trying to figure out where we all are?”

Al nodded but Ed could see his brother wasn’t happy.  Neither was Ed.  He might not like Deccar but he didn’t want the man dead either.   

“What do we know about the research alchemists?” Ed said, trying to compare notes with his brother. 

“Glacial and the Sword Alchemist were both in research.  What little I know is that the Sword Alchemist was working on producing a better grade of weapon for the military.  Specifically, he was trying to make weapons that would hold up under the cold of Briggs.”

“Alright, that might have some crossover with Glacial.  It would be handy to have an alchemist that specializes in water manipulation.”

“True.  We’ll have to check in with her research team, but the last I heard her mention it on the radio, I believe she was trying to find a way to use alchemy to create self-sustaining wells and aquafers in water poor regions.”

“Wow, that’s actually pretty cool.”

“Yeah.  I was really excited to hear about her work, but hated to listen to her put down Mustang on the radio.”

“Well, let’s see what we can find out.”

***

 

They weren’t there more than thirty minutes when Mustang showed up.  Al was over in Glacial’s office while Ed was reviewing the Sword Alchemist’s work.   His notes were disordered and Ed was having a hell of a time even getting started on decrypting his work.  He barely looked up when Mustang walked in.

“We need more than thirty minutes, Bastard.  We’ll report in when we have something.”

“Ed.”

He looked up then because there was something off about Mustang’s voice.  His tone was the careful it got when dealing with potentially dangerous situations.  The one people used when they were about to face off against wild animals.

“What happened?”

“Deccar was found dead in his apartment.”

“What?”

“Hawkeye and Havoc called it in when they found him.”

“He attacked someone on your team…”

“Hawkeye and Havoc are on the way to Gracia’s now just as a precaution,” he said before Ed could voice anything.  “They’re going to bring them to command for lunch with the team so Elysia and Usain won’t know anything is happening.”

 “Did they go after Deccar because…”

“He was stabbed the same way Glacial was but he was still in his apartment.  I think we need to assume he was killed because of his proximity to the case.”

“Usain,” Ed said quietly.

“Hawkeye will keep him safe until they get here. And it’s just a precaution.  There’s nothing about this killer that says he would attack anyone other than a state alchemist.” 

Ed couldn’t think.  Deccar was an alchemist.  He was a victim like the others, but not like the others.  Not only had his death been more personal, if he was stabbed the same way Glacial had been, but also because the murderer had killed him in his home.

“Why don’t you pack up what you need here and we’ll take it back to the office so you can wait for Usain there?”

Ed nodded but he was barely aware of what he was doing.  Mustang left for a moment and came back with a box and his brother.  Al helped him pack up the research and then the three of them headed back through the hallways to get to the team’s office. 

Ed and Al spread out together to look through the research, but Ed knew he wasn’t contributing anything.  Al asked him questions about things he saw, but Ed couldn’t seem to read anything on the page in front of him. 

Had Deccar been killed because he was a State Alchemist or because of the investigation?  Had Ed put his son in danger by investigating this and coming to work with Mustang again? 

The door opened and Ed stood as his son came running through the doors with Elysia in tow.  His heart nearly stopped for a second and then Ed pulled his son into his arms and tried not to scare him with his own reaction.

“Dad!  Not in front of everyone!” he said with a giggle.

Ed sighed.  “I see how it is now.  Getting too old to hug your old man.”  It was a gentle tease and Usain laughed.  As soon as he stepped back, Elysia threw herself at Ed.  She, at least, didn’t mind the hugs.  When he looked up, Mustang had come out of his office and was crouched down talking to Usain.

Gracia gave Ed a tight smile.  Had he put Gracia and Elysia in danger too?  The thought made his stomach revolt but he managed to keep himself under control.  Gracia had already lost her husband because of Ed.  How could he put her in danger now too?

    

***

 

He left work early, even though he knew he shouldn’t.  The team had Al though and if his brother needed his help, he wouldn’t hesitate to call.  Ed needed to be home with Usain.  The two guards out on the street didn’t give Ed any comfort.  The fact that Mustang felt the need to put them there was telling. 

When Al decided to call it quits, he called Ed and brought dinner over.  Xingese, because it was close and because Havoc and Breda had insisted on following him back to Mustang’s.  Al wasn’t a State Alchemist, but just in case. 

They ate quietly and Ed pretended not to notice the box of research that Al had brought home to look through tonight.  He felt guilty then, but Ed knew his brother would never say anything.  When Usain finished eating, the three of them settled into the library together; Ed and Al working on the research and Usain was reading an introductory bioalchemy book.   When it hit true dark, Ed looked up at the clock and realized how late it was. 

“Bath time, bud,” he said with a sigh.  He rubbed at tired eyes and was grateful when his son put his bookmark in his spot and didn’t fuss.  Once bath was over, Ed tried to get him to bed but to no avail.

“I didn’t get my story,” Usain said.

“I know.  I’m sorry that Mustang didn’t get a chance to call.  This case has been driving us all crazy.  He probably lost track of time.  I’m sure he’ll make it up to you.  How about I read you one tonight, instead?”

“No.  I’m waiting for my story.”

“Mustang is busy, Usain.  We’ve talked about this.  Sometimes he can’t come away from work.”

Usain crossed his arms over his chest as he sat on his bed.  Ed could see he was tired but his son had a stubborn streak that could beat Ed’s by a mile.  Usain was sweet natured and Ed rarely saw this side of him, but there were moments when Ed could almost see Pride peeking back out at him and it scared him.

“Usain.”

“I want Papa Mustang!” He yelled.

Ed was taken aback but before he could respond the front door closed loudly and Usain went running.  Ed tried to grab him in case it was an intruder but his son had always been slippery to catch.  He ran after him just in time to see him throw himself at Mustang at the bottom of the steps.

“You made it for Story time!”

Mustang laughed softly against his cheek.  “I was afraid I missed it.”

“Dad tried to make me go to bed, but I knew you wouldn’t forget.”

“I would never forget, but you know there are sometimes I might not be able to.  We talked about this.  When your dad says it’s time for bed, you need to listen.”

“I will,” he said as he buried his head in Mustang’s neck.

Mustang managed to get his jacket off even with Usain clinging to him before he carried him up the stairs.  Ed watched the whole thing without comment.  It was only when Mustang had Usain tucked into bed and a story started that he looked up to see his brother at the other end of the hall.

“Brother, what he said…”

Ed closed his eyes and shook his head.  He didn’t know how to deal with that.  It shouldn’t surprise him, should it?  Since they’d moved to Central and into Mustang’s house, he’d been as much a parent to Usain as Ed was.  It was confusing for Ed, surely it would be even more so for his son who loved Mustang so much. 

He didn’t want to think about it, but the idea that had been repeated in his head came to the fore once again.  They needed to get out from under this roof.  He should never have moved in here.  He should have moved in with Alphonse when they first came to Central City and Uncle Mustang would still just be that. 

When Mustang’s book was done, he kissed Usain good night and walked out.  Ed went in and tucked him in, himself, then left his boy to sleep.  When he made it out to the hallway, Mustang was putting his jacket back on.

“You don’t have to leave just because I’m here,” Ed said quietly.  “This is your home.”

Mustang took a deep breath before he looked at Ed.  “I’m going back to the office.  The team hasn’t left yet.  I just came to tell him his story.”

“You could have just called.”

“I needed to see him.  I needed to see that he was okay.”

He left before Ed could say anything else.

 

**

 

He couldn’t say he was sleeping when he heard the ring, but he was tossing and turning and trying to pretending the couch was better than going up and trying to sleep in his bed.  The nightmares would come either way, but it was easier to wake from them on the couch.  He didn’t think he could deal with a dead body right now, but there was no other reason for someone to be calling the house this late.  Or early, actually.

He quickly got up, belying the exhaustion he felt, and made his way down the hall to the phone.  He heard the door of the guest room open and he knew his brother was following him. 

“Mustang Residence,” he said as he picked up the phone.

“Ed? Ed, I need help.”

It took a moment to recognize the voice because he’d been expecting Hawkeye or someone else from the team.  “Georgia, what’s wrong?”

“I’m at the phone booth by the bakery.  I was attacked.  Don’t know what the hell it was but the transmutation circle was nothing I’ve seen before.  He wasn’t expecting me to lash out, so I got away, but he had a gun.  Ed, this whole thing, it’s about you.”

“Georgia, stay where you are.  I’m coming.”

“Don’t you dare, Ed!  Send the team but don’t you come.”  The phone died before he could ask anything else and Ed looked up at his brother before he grabbed his boots and began to shove his feet into them. 

“Al, I need you to stay here with Usain.  Call the office.  The Glass Alchemist was attacked.  She’s at the phone booth by the bakery off Sinclair.”

“You can’t go alone, Brother.”

“Al, I need you to stay with Usain.  I can’t trust anyone else with him, alright?  Call the team.  Georgia is hurt but still alive.”

“Be careful, Brother.”

Ed ran out the door as his brother picked up the phone to make the call.

 

***

 

It wasn’t a long distance and Ed ran the whole way.  There was some hope the team might have made it there before him, but when he got there the street seemed to be deserted.  There were two bodies laid out by the phone booth and Ed ran forward, ignoring the chance that the killer might still be there.

“Andrea?” he said as he recognized the Healing Alchemist.  Her eyes were lifeless though and Ed could see the blood pooled underneath her. 

“Ed?” he jerked his head around because Georgia was still alive. 

“Georgia?”

She coughed and Ed got to her and tried to check her for wounds but she brushed his hands off.  “She healed me.  While she was doing it, he came back.  He shot her and … he … the circle … neither of us could move.  He’s still here, Ed.”

“Fullmetal?”

Ed turned around to see one of the guards he knew from Central.  “Pol!  We need to get an ambulance.”

“Are you hurt?” Pol asked.

Ed was frustrated but he tried to keep his temper reigned in.  “Georgia needs an ambulance.  I’m fine.”

“Of course.  If you’re sure you’re ok.  You’re covered in blood.  Do you need me to look at you?”

Ed stalked over to Pol.  “Go call for god damned backup!”

Pol’s eyes went wide but then he smiled.  “Of course.  Fullmetal.” 

As Ed watched, Pol dropped to his knee and put his hands on the edge of a transmutation circle.  Ed knew the symbols well and he tried to scream but he was already falling into the hole towards the Truth.

 

***

 

Ed opened his eyes to a world of white.  He had never thought to see it again.  He didn’t have a gate anymore so he didn’t even know how this was possible, but it was another fuck you from the universe that Ed was going to have to deal with. 

“Hello, Edward Elric,” the Truth called to him.

Ed looked around and saw another figure lying close by.  Across from him was a gate.

“What the hell am I doing here?”

The guard, Pol, sat up and looked around until his eyes found Ed. 

“Fullmetal, are you alright?”

“What the hell did you do?” he demanded.

“Surely, you know,” the Truth said.  “You lost your Gate but you didn’t lose all that knowledge.”

Ed closed his eyes and clenched his fists.  He was angry, so damn angry he almost couldn’t breathe through it.

“I was there,” Pol said quietly.  “They call it the Promised Day and they celebrate it because they believed the speeches afterwards were a promise to the people of Amestris that the government still stood for the people.  Most people don’t know what was really happening that day, but I saw it.  I was on guard duty at the gates that day.  I saw the white mannequins that had come to life.  I saw the impossible battles being fought.  And I saw the Fullmetal Alchemist, working with the Flame Alchemist and his team to save us all from a creature that would be god.  I saw your brother give up his body to give you an arm to fight with. I didn’t understand at the time, but I learned.”

Ed opened his eyes and looked at the other man.

“And what did you learn?”

“Homunculi, philosopher’s stones, soul bonding, the taboo; there was so much out there, if you knew how to look.  When I was a child I had an aptitude for alchemy but I had no desire for the studying that came with it so I was happy enough to become a soldier, like my dad.  But on that day, I saw what you had done and the sacrifice you made.  I couldn’t forget it.  And no one ever knew.  No one ever suspected that the entirety of Amestris owed their lives to you.  And that you refused to take any life to save your brother’s.  You gave up your alchemy to do so.  It was too great a price to be paid.”

“It was my price to be paid, and I paid it.  What are we doing here?  Why did you kill all those people?”

“It wasn’t your price to pay!  It was ours!  The people of Amestris who knew nothing!  The Alchemists who didn’t understand or who couldn’t help because they didn’t know enough!  We all failed you!  I couldn’t let that stand!  This is us, repaying you for the debt we owe!”

Pol looked away from Ed and to the figure of the Truth.  When he pulled open his shirt, a transmutation circle had been tattooed on his chest.  It glowed with the familiar red of a philosopher’s stone and it made Ed sick. 

“Take it all and give his gate back!”

“Don’t you dare!” Ed yelled.  He grabbed Pol by the arm and forced him to look at Ed.  “I don’t want this.  I never wanted any of this.”

The Truth looked at Ed and smiled.  “The price is paid.”

Ed screamed but he was pulled into an all too familiar darkness, and as he looked up, his Gate formed from the nothingness around them.

 

***

 

Ed woke, gasping for air in the dark night.  It took a moment to remember where he was, but the slap of feet on the pavement made him look up.  Pol was running away.  Ed tried to stand but he felt too weak to move.  “Damn it!”

“Ed?  Ed!”  He looked up to see that the Glass Alchemist was reaching for him. 

“Georgia, are you okay?”

“You fell to your feet, both of you.  It was only a minute, but you weren’t answering.  Ed, what happened?”

He grimaced as he fought his way to his feet and struggled to her side.  Other images flashed in his head, of another friend, but he pushed them aside.  “Al was going to call the team.  They should be here.”

“From what I understand, he called her first,” Georgia said softly.  “Who was she?”

Ed closed his eyes.  “Andrea Hemlen, the Healing Alchemist.  A friend of Al’s.”

“Ed, I’m so sorry.  What … what happened to you?”

He was saved from having to sort that out when three cars pulled up on the street.

“Fullmetal!” He heard Mustang’s bellow even if he couldn’t see through the harsh headlights of the cars.

He raised his hand.  “Over here, Bastard.  We need an ambulance.  The Glass Alchemist is still alive.”

He could hear the team scrambling and then Mustang was there at his side.  “Ed, what happened?”

“He… he’s one of the guards.  He killed them all.  He …” Ed felt his throat close as he tried to speak but it wouldn’t come.  The reality of what had been done.  Hell, he didn’t even know if it had worked, but there was little doubt, the way the Truth had looked at him. 

“You know who the killer is?” Mustang asked.

“We all do.  Pol.  Can’t remember his last name, but Al will know it.  He’s home with Usain.”

“He called us and said he’d sent the Healing Alchemist after you ran out the door.”

“The alchemist did something to him, General,” Georgia said before Ed could answer.  “They both seemed to pass out for a minute.  I tried to stand but I couldn’t even do that much.  Ed, I’m so sorry.”

“What did he do to you, Ed?” Mustang demanded. 

Ed looked down at his hands and took a deep breath.  He clapped without any true intent but to see the blue current that always preceded his alchemy.  And there it was.  Mustang gasped and Ed could hear it echoed by the others.

“He made me Fullmetal.”

 

***

 

The office was a rash of movement and activity as Ed watched, hands between his knees, and no ability to help.  Ed might have his alchemy back but whatever Pol had done to him had taken all of his physical strength.

Pol Matthews had been stationed at the front gate on the Promised Day.  His military record in his youth had been filled with commendations and reviews that chimed in with what an exemplary office he would one day make, with his intelligence and drive. 

And he had witnessed enough of everything that, once he set that intelligence and drive to the task, he figured out what had really happened that day.

After the Promised Day, he’d left the military for five years.  When he’d come back, he’d requested gate duty and never moved up from it. 

The team found that in his absence, he had taken the aptitude he’d boasted to Fullmetal and used that to learn as much about alchemy as he could.  His goal the entire time was one impossible task; to return a gate to someone who had lost theirs. 

“Ed?” He looked up at Hawkeye’s approach and sighed heavily.

“I can’t think of anything else I know.  He was friendly enough, but we didn’t have actual conversations.  It was all bullshit small talk.  He’d ask about Usain and Al and the team.”

“I know,” Hawkeye said kindly.  “I was going to suggest you go home.  The doctors said you need to rest.  Whatever was done to you, your body is running on fumes.  Go get some sleep and come back when you’re ready.”

“Shouldn’t that be Mustang’s call?” Ed asked.

“It was.”

That was the last straw, really.  The last thing that had been keeping him there.  For a second, he’d had Mustang back, but he was relaying orders through other people again and Ed couldn’t face that.  Not with this growing horror inside his chest.

“Yeah.  Guess now is as good a time as any.  You’ll call me if you need me, right?”

“Of course.”

She called out to Havoc to drive Ed home. 

“You okay there, Boss?” Havoc asked when they got in the car.

“Yeah.  I’m just exhausted.”

“Must be.  I’d have thought you’d be fixing things left and right now that you have your alchemy back.”

Ed let out a bitter laugh at that but he bit his tongue.  Havoc meant well.  The rest of the ride was silent but when they pulled up in front of the house, Havoc looked back at him.  

“Are you going to be okay, Ed?”

There was obvious concern in his eyes and Ed didn’t know how to let the guy down.  “Yeah.  I’ll be fine.  Just need some rest and I’ll be back at it.”  It wasn’t fine.  He wasn’t fine, but Havoc needed the lie and Ed would do what he could. 

Ed got to the house and his brother was waiting anxiously even though Ed had called and talked to him already.

“Al, I’m so sorry about your friend,” he said as soon as he saw his brother’s red-rimmed eyes. 

“Don’t be such an idiot, Brother,” he said as he pulled Ed into a hug.  “Are you okay?”

“He … Al …  all those people,” he finally broke down in his brother’s arms. 

Al held him tight until Ed felt the pull of exhaustion too great to fight anymore.

 

***

 

He wasn’t sure when he woke.  It seemed dark out but it was that edge of darkness that could mean a god awful hour of the morning or early evening.  He closed his eyes and tried to burrow his head under his pillow but that was pulled from his grip.

“Cut it out, Al.  I’m trying to sleep!”  His brother had been over before.  Yesterday?  Earlier today?  Ed wasn’t sure.  Maybe if he knew what time of day it was he could figure it out.  It wasn’t that important though.  Instead, he pulled the blankets up over his head to try to ignore his wake up call.  When it was immediately pulled off his head Ed turned around to glare at his brother, only to find himself face to face with the Bastard General himself.

“Go away,” his voice was more a whisper than anything else and Ed hated to sound weak, but the last thing he could deal with now was more of Mustang’s disapproval.

“Ed, you have to get out of bed.”

He pulled his knees up close to his chest because Mustang was being far too gentle and Ed didn’t deserve that.  Eventually, Mustang would remember that too.

“I’m tired.  The doctors said to sleep.”

There was a soft sigh and then Ed felt Mustang sit on the bed beside him.

“Al called me today.  He’s worried about you.”

“He’s always worried about me.  And I’m always fine.”

“Usain is worried about you.”

“Al is taking care of him.”

“Ed, you haven’t talked to your son in three days.”

“What?  That’s ridiculous.  I called him….” He tried to think of when that was but, again, he had no idea what time it was. 

“Three days ago.” 

Ed sat up then because if that was true, he needed to check on his son. 

“He’s fine.  I spoke with him an hour ago.  I told him I’d come check on you and report in.”  Mustang took a deep breath and looked at Ed.  “I thought you were staying with Al.”

“I needed some time to sort things out and I asked Al to keep an eye on Usain while I did.  I didn’t … it’s really been three days?”

“Have you eaten at all?”

“Since Al and Usain left I’ve just been … asleep.”

Mustang shook his head.  “Go get in the shower, Fullmetal.  I’ll make you something to eat.  Then we’re going to talk this out.  After that, I’ll drive you over to your son.”

They were orders and Ed recognized them as such.  Any other day he might fight against it, but he knew when to push Mustang and when not to.  Today wasn’t a day he would win the fight.

Instead, he got up and started the shower.  He heard Mustang in the other room, cleaning up before he decided Ed really was going to get showered instead of crawl back into his bed. 

The shower felt amazing and he let the heat of it soak into his skin.  When he saw the faint trace of brown in the water, he realized that he hadn’t even cleaned up after running out into the street that night.  Traces of blood and street scum must have been clinging to his skin and hair.  He had no idea if Pol had been caught, or if Georgia was okay.  He didn’t know if anyone else had been injured in the search for the alchemist that had … done what he did.

He finished his shower quickly then and dressed in fresh clothes.  He did a minimal drying job on his hair with the towel before he ran downstairs to find Mustang.

“Is everyone okay?” he asked as soon as he entered the kitchen.

Mustang had gotten rid of his jacket and had his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows.  Something smelled really good but Ed needed an answer more than he needed food.

Mustang looked him over before he nodded to himself.  “Yes.  The team is fine.  We’re down three alchemists right now so that’s been hard to work around but I’ve done my best to fill in.  Georgia Clement is still in the hospital.  The doctors are keeping her under observation due to extreme exhaustion and shock, but she is expected to make a full recovery.  There have been no other deaths since Pol Matthews used the transmutation on you.”

Ed let out a deep breath.      

“Usain has been staying with his Uncle Al and reported to me today that his Uncle promised him he would buy him a dog if you didn’t call tonight.  I think he’s torn.  He really wants a dog, but he misses his father.”

“I really messed things up,” he said as he leaned back against the counter and ran both hands over his face.

“Yeah, you did.”

“How do I fix this?”

“You admit you screwed up.  Sometimes that’s all it takes.”

Ed let out a bitter laugh.  “I’m not always very good at that.”

“Really?”

He almost laughed at the sarcasm in Mustang’s voice because it was real and honest and he’d missed this.  He missed them. 

“So, what?  I just say I screwed up and I’m sorry and all is forgiven?”

“Maybe tell your son you won’t do that to him again.”

“I wouldn’t,” Ed said fervently. 

Roy nodded.  “He’ll forgive you, Ed.  He wants his dad back.”

“And a puppy.”

“Yeah, you might want to watch him.  He is your son and he’ll try to finagle a puppy out of the deal.”

“No, that would be your influence on him.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

Roy turned away then and pulled a casserole out of the oven.

“You did not cook that!” Ed said as he watched it come out of the oven.  Not that Mustang couldn’t cook, but there certainly hadn’t been enough time.

Mustang let out a small laugh.  “No.  I went to see Al and Usain when Al called.  Gracia and Elysia had been over and Al asked me to bring this and make sure you had something to eat.”

Ed nodded as he watched Mustang get two plates down and fill them both.  He carried them to the table before he grabbed forks and napkins, then two large glasses of water for them.  They ate in companionable silence. 

It was the most Ed had seen him since the night Mustang had walked out on him.  He ate, but the longer he sat there, the harder it got to swallow.  He managed it, but he sat waiting for Mustang to finish his.  When he started to get up, Ed grabbed his wrist to stop him.

“So, this thing.  About me screwing up.”

“Yeah?” Mustang said as he sat back down.

“You think admitting I screwed up would only work with Usain?”

“I guess it depends on who it is and how badly you screwed up,” Mustang answered carefully.

“I didn’t think,” Ed said.  He wanted to look away but he needed Mustang to hear him, to know he understood now.  “I just … there was a puzzle that needed to be solved.  That’s all I saw.  I didn’t realize the consequences.  I know you reminded me.  You kept telling me I had to think about Usain and what this could do to him.  I … when you told me Deccar was dead, it finally hit me.  What if they’d gone after Usain?  He was with Gracia and Elysia and what if I’d put them in danger too, because I wanted to solve a damn puzzle?”

Mustang let out a deep breath but he didn’t comment.

“And it wasn’t even like what happened to Hughes.  When he died, Gracia understood what his job was and what it meant.  Elysia did too, even if she couldn’t fully comprehend it at her age.  But they took the risk because his work was important.  And that doesn’t mean the investigation wasn’t important, but I didn’t have any backup and I barely missed meeting Pol in that alleyway and I … I get it now.  Why you were so angry with me for being there without telling you what I was doing.  It was one thing when Al and I were off on our own getting into trouble.  But if something happened to us, Usain would be alone and there’s no one else who could pick up the pieces but you. And I kept it from you and I broke into your notes and you would never have known if something had happened.”

“Ed,” he wanted to believe.  Ed could see it in his eyes and Ed needed him to.

“I won’t do it again.  Roy, I can’t say I won’t be stupid because I make rash decisions all the time, but I won’t keep anything from you again.  You, and Al and Usain, you’re all I have.  I would never knowingly jeopardize any of you. Please, tell me you know that.”

“I do,” Mustang said with a sigh.  He pulled back into his own space and gave them both some room.  He cleared their plates and Ed was left to think it all through.  When Mustang came back out, he stood at the door, watching Ed.

“Are you ready to go see your son?”

He wanted to, but something made him hesitate, something he still had to face.  Something that had kept him in bed for three days, unable to face the world.  He didn’t think he could do it alone, but Mustang was here and just maybe there was enough peace between them that he’s stick around and help.   

“Ed?”

“How can I?”

“Usain isn’t going to hold this against you.”

Ed’s fists clenched at his sides because he hated feeling so vulnerable and like such a damn kid but he didn’t know how to explain any of this.  “How can I face him, with what’s inside of me?”

“Ed-”

“Don’t try to act like nothing happened, Roy.  I gave up my alchemy for my brother.  It was my choice to make and I did, willingly.  And I have never regretted that choice.  I look at my brother’s face every day and I know I made the right choice.  I never wanted this!”

Mustang flinched back at the tone but Ed was so angry now.  “He killed 9 people and drained Georgia of her energy.  He did that to give me back my alchemy.  I …” 

And he could understand it in that moment then, how Hohenheim must have been devastated by the souls that had poured into him so long ago.  How lost and without anchor he must have been, because Ed was floundering and he’d only had 9 souls die for him.        

“Ed, he made his choice.  It isn’t your fault.”

“This isn’t about fault!” he yelled.   “This is stuck inside me.  No matter what I do, I can’t give them back their lives!  I can’t make this better!  Do you understand that?  Marcoh killed people to make a stone and to appease his guilt he used it on you and Havoc to try to make up for the abuse, but there is no greater purpose here.  They didn’t die for some random experiment or cause.  Pol killed them for me!  How can I wash my hands clean of that?  How can I ever face anyone, knowing that my alchemy killed those people!”

“Ed, this isn’t your fault!”

“I know I didn’t kill them!” Ed stepped right into Mustang’s face and he wanted to lash out physically but the peace between them was so damn fragile and he grabbed his shirt front instead to make him listen.  “I know I didn’t kill them but they died for my alchemy!”

“Ed, this isn’t your fault,” he said as he wrapped his arms around Ed.  His eyes were so damn sad and Ed knew whatever came out of his mouth next was going to damn him, but he needed to hear it anyway.

“Why do you keep saying that?” he dropped his forehead to Mustang’s chest but looking away didn’t make it hurt any less.

“It isn’t your fault, no matter how much you wanted your alchemy back.”

“Stop,” He whispered against the other man’s chest, but Roy’s arms pulled him tight against him as Ed sobbed. 

“No matter how good it feels to have it back, it’s not your fault.”

They slid down the wall together, Ed’s hands still tight around Mustang’s shirt and locked in his embrace.

“No matter how much that ache inside you is gone, it’s not your fault.  Nothing that man did is yours to blame.”

The last barrier broke inside him and the only thing holding him upright were Mustang’s arms around him and the iron grip he kept on his shirt.  He didn’t know how long he cried into Mustang’s collar but eventually he felt himself calming down.  He turned his face to rest his cheek against the other man’s chest and let out a shuddered breath. 

“How do I make this right?” he asked.

“You can’t because you didn’t do it, Ed.  How do you live with it, is the question.”

He wasn’t sure he could answer that.  “Marcoh used the stone he had left to heal you and Havoc, hoping that would give peace to the Ishvalans who died to make the stone.  Hohenheim used his to undo the evil that Father was trying to do.”

“Yes,” Mustang agreed.

“But I can’t make this better.  Pol wanted me to go back to work with you.  He wanted me to be a part of the team.  That’s why he did it.  It wasn’t just about giving me my alchemy, but about recreating the team of people who he believed saved Amestris on the Promised Day.”

“Ed, you don’t have to have an answer to this tonight.  I just need to know that you’re looking.  Usain needs his dad to come back from this.  And … I need you to come back from this.”

Ed raised his head to look up at Mustang.  The anger that had been burning between them so brightly was replaced with something else entirely.  Something he knew that had been buried there all along.  “I will.  I can’t … I don’t know how to justify this but I won’t let this asshole destroy my life.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve got too much going for me now to back down from this fight.”

“Like what?”

Ed could see he needed to hear it and Ed needed to say it, just to see his reaction.  “My brother, in the flesh and being able to do alchemy with him again,” he said.

Mustang pulled one of arms away from Ed’s waist and began to stroke his hair. “Uh hu.”

“And my son.  He’s never seen his Dad do alchemy before.  He’s going to go crazy.  I love him so damn much and nothing is going to keep me from that.”

“Those are two really good reasons,” he said as his hand cupped Ed’s face. 

Ed leaned into the touch and closed his eyes to enjoy the intimacy of it for a moment.  When he looked up he was almost surprised at how close Mustang was.  “And there’s this someone.  He’s really important to me.  He puts up with all my crazy shit, reminds me when I’m being an idiot, and catches me when I fall.”

“Sounds like someone good to have around.”

“The best,” Ed said in a bare whisper.  “The thing is, I almost screwed it all up.  But he waited for me to figure it out and he stuck by me.  And I never told him how I felt about him, but I think he figure it out anyway.”

“Yeah?”

“You know I love you, Bastard.”

Mustang smiled and the breath caught in the back of Ed’s throat to see the truth in the other man’s eyes.  “Yeah, Brat, I know.” He closed the distance between them and his lips trailed softly over Ed’s.  When he pulled away his lips caressed Ed’s cheek as he moved back to look him in the eyes again.  “I love you too, Ed,” he said softly.

Ed leaned in for another kiss and Mustang obliged him.  He smiled when he felt Mustang’s hand back in his hair but moaned a second later when Mustang tugged slightly. 

“Something funny, Fullmetal?” he asked.

Ed grinned.  “Hair,” was all he said.  Mustang pressed his lips to Ed’s forehead and let out a short laugh. 

“I missed you, Ed,” he said softly.

“Come home?”

“How about we go get Usain and we can all come home?”

“Like I said, my someone, he’s kinda the best.”

 

***

 

In two weeks, no one had caught sight of Pol Matthews.  No one had seen him at his home in a month and he hadn’t been to work since the morning they’d found Deccar’s body.  A guard was posted on the street outside Mustang’s house and they escorted Ed everywhere but there had been no sign of him anywhere. 

It irked Ed to be left out of the investigation, but not enough to ask to be let in.  He needed to be home with his son and he trusted Mustang’s team, with his brother attached as an alchemist until the case was done, to find the man.

Knowing Ed’s need to be doing something, Mustang had brought him Glacial’s research.  It wasn’t the same thing, but Ed spent his time trying to decipher her notes and finish her research.  He couldn’t return her life, but he could at least work on her life’s work. 

He refused to do alchemy though.  As much as he’d felt the thrill of being able to do it once again, after some thought he couldn’t justify using it.  It felt like using alchemy was giving Pol what he wanted.  It wasn’t in Ed to do it.

Things were back on track though and Ed couldn’t be upset for too long.  After their confessions, Ed and Mustang had managed to find a way back to a better place for them.  Even better, because they both knew this was strong enough to last and that they were both willing to fight (and to apologize, which was probably the bigger issue) to make things work. 

They were still taking things slow, but Mustang had started to be more affectionate to Ed when Usain was around and they were learning to be together.  It was kinda disgustingly sweet but Ed loved every minute of it.

Usain rushed ahead of him to the water fountain and Ed smiled at the image of his son playing around the fountain’s edge in the evening light. 

“I am not drying your clothes for you if you fall in this time, Usain,” Mustang called out to the boy. 

Ed squeezed his hand and smiled.  “Liar.”

“As long as he hasn’t figured it out, we’re fine.”

Ed laughed as they trailed after Usain.  “How are things going at the office?” Ed asked.  Mustang had called to see if they wanted to meet up for dinner but that usually meant a return to work after the fact.  Mustang seemed in no hurry to be off yet though.

“The investigation is still going.  There’s a lot of paperwork we’re sifting through.  We found his alchemic journal so Al’s been working on that at the office.  I’ve been trying to give him a hand.  It’s not the same as you, but at least I do have some experience figuring out how the Elric brain works.”

“You’ve been good at that since I met you.”

“I know you’ve made peace with this but, if you wanted to come back to this investigation, we could work it out,” Mustang offered.

Ed let out a deep breath as he thought of what to say to that.  They both knew the answer.  While Ed thought maybe in the future he might come back, he wasn’t ready yet.   “As much as I miss it, I can’t.  You were right.  I have to think about my son.  He’s the most important thing in my life.  I have to protect him, from what could follow either of us back home.  I’m content to work on research.  And what the Glacial Alchemist was doing is going to really help people.  There were areas of Creta that Usain and I passed through that didn’t have working wells and they’d go miles to find some.  I know Ishval has the same problems.”

Mustang pulled him to a stop under the street light and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“You still astound me, Fullmetal.  Even without alchemy, you’re going to put the alchemic world on its ear.”

Ed nuzzled up against his neck, because he could, and took a deep breath.  “Yeah, well you’re still my Bastard who’s going to make this place worth living in.  I guess we’ll have to keep each other on our toes, huh?”

Mustang laughed at that.  “We always do.”

Usain came running at them and Ed couldn’t help but smile at his son.  It wasn’t what he could ever have imagined when he’d sat on a hospital bed, 7 years ago, talking to Mustang about his future, but he couldn’t imagine a better.

 

***

 

The walk back to their home was uneventful and Mustang pressed a kiss to Ed’s lips and one to Usain’s hair before he headed back to the car.  Ed waved at him as they got to the door then went inside.  They hung their coats by the door and Usain ran up the stairs to find a book Mustang had told him about in the library.  Ed went up after him at a slower pace.

“Dad!”

The scream died in a muffle and Ed ran through the door of the study to find Usain in Pol’s hands.  The man was choking him.

“Leave him alone!” Ed yelled as he barreled into the man.  Pol let go of Usain to protect himself from Ed and they grappled as they fell to the floor.  “Usain!  Run!”

His son ran out of the room and Pol hit Ed in the face, stunning him for a moment.  Pol tried to race after his son, but Ed managed to grab his foot and drag him back down.  “Leave my son alone!”

“After everything I did, I can’t leave him!  He’s stopping you, can’t you see that?” Pol yelled.  “He’s keeping you from using your alchemy and I can’t allow that!”

Pol kicked at Ed’s arms and he connected, knocking himself clear of Ed.  He ran out of the room and Ed stumbled up to his feet and after him.  “Get back here!  I’m not finished with you yet!” Ed yelled.

He made it in the hallway in time to see Pol rushing past the guest room to the next room.  Without thinking, he clapped his hands and transmuted the floor to rush up and hit the other alchemist. 

Pol dove to the side, but instead of pushing him away from Usain’s room, Ed had driven him into his son’s room.

“Usain!” he cried out.

Ed slammed through the doorway in time to see Pol’s transmutation circle and the way his alchemy pushed Usain out of the closet he’d been hiding in.  Pol tried to grab him, but Usain wrestled his way out from under him. 

Pol clapped his hands again and the walls came forward in dull edged spikes.

“No!” Usain cried out as he clapped his own hands.  A mass of vines came down over his head between Ed and the spikes as Usain slid to a stop at his dad’s feet. 

“He has to-” Pol stopped mid-sentence and looked behind him.  He ran towards the window and crashed through it, followed by a stream of flame.

“Ed? Usain?”  Mustang shouted as he ran into the room. 

“We’re okay!  Get that son of a bitch!”

Mustang ran to the window and Ed crawled out from behind the vines, holding on to Usain as Mustang clapped his hands and jumped out the window, riding down on a part of the wall.  Ed would be impressed with the alchemy if he had time to think about it.  Instead, he grabbed Usain and ran out of the room and towards the back door.  “Usain, call Al!”

He left his son in the hallway to make the phone call and followed Mustang out into the backyard.  Pol hadn’t moved from where he had fallen and Mustang was standing over him.

It was only a single story, but Pol had jumped without looking and he’d crashed into the table.  There were also burns over part of his body from the room.  He was bleeding badly and Ed didn’t think he had much time left.  Al wouldn’t make it in time to try to heal him, even if Ed could convince him when he arrived.

“That’s all I wanted,” Pol said softly.  He smiled at Ed.  “I just wanted to see the two of you saving people again, like you did on the Promised Day.”

He groaned and then his eyes closed. 

Ed wasn’t sure if he was asleep or if he’d passed out but he left Mustang to head back into the house to where Usain had been making the call.

Usain came running to him and Ed scooped him into his arms.  “Are you okay, Usain?”

“He didn’t get me, Dad,” Usaid said as he buried his head in Ed’s neck.  Ed held him tight until he heard the cars squeal to a stop out front. 

“Uncle Al was at the office so I called Auntie Hawkeye,” Usain said a second before the front door burst open.

“The backyard,” Ed pointed as Hawkeye and the team flew through.  Al was right behind him and he stopped with them.

“Brother, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.  Can you check Usain out?” Ed asked.  “He was … Pol was …”

He couldn’t say the words but as Al pulled Usain out of Ed’s arms, Mustang came down the hall and pulled Ed into his arms. 

“We’d be grateful to know he’s been seen by you, Al,” Mustang said.  Ed didn’t know if Mustang understood that Pol had come after his son, but he knew Ed well enough to know he needed Al’s word. 

“How are you feeling, Usain?” Al asked his nephew.  “Can you walk to the-” Usain shivered as he looked up the stairs and Al seemed to change his destination, “dining room with me?  We can talk in there while I look you over.”

Ed was torn between following his son and making sure Pol wasn’t a problem anymore.  Mustang pulled him tight though.  “Ed, are you okay?  Do I need to have Al look at you too?”

He shook his head.  “Usain went upstairs as soon as we got home.  He wanted to find that book.  He called out to me and when I ran in…” Ed let out a shuddered breath and rubbed his forehead against Mustang’s chest as if he could wipe the memory away.  “He had his hands around his neck.  He was strangling him.  He wasn’t even trying to fight me.  He just kept trying to get to Usain.”

“I’m so sorry, Ed.”

“How did you know to come home?”

“I never left.  I was in the car and realized how late it was.  I thought I could probably read Usain that story and tuck him in before I returned to the office.  It was dumb luck that I came back in.”  Mustang pulled Ed away just enough that he could look down into his eyes.  “I don’t know what I would do if something happened to the two of you,” he confessed.

Ed leaned up and pressed their lips together and he buried the sob that was trying to rise in his throat.  He didn’t pull away until a very determined cough broke through his moment of comfort.

“Sir, Pol Matthews is dead,” Hawkeye said as she joined them in the hallway.

Ed closed his eyes and felt his knees buckle.  He might have fallen if he weren’t already in Mustang’s arms.  He seemed to have anticipated Ed’s reaction because he was braced for it.

“Come on, Ed.  Let’s find Usain and Al.”  He looked over at Hawkeye and nodded.  “Thank you.”

“Yes sir.”

They walked down the hallway together and Al was watching for them outside of the dining room.

“He fell asleep.”

“What?”

Al nodded.  “I had him lie down on the table so I could take a look at him and I healed the bruising on his neck.  It doesn’t look like he was injured in any other way.  He started to yawn and when I asked if he was tired, he said he performed alchemy and fell asleep right there.  Brother?”

Ed nodded.  “He did.”

“The vines when I came in?”

“Yeah.  Pol attacked me when I was trying to get to Usain.  It would have hurt but it wouldn’t have killed me.  There were spikes, but they were meant to batter me, not to slice me up.  Usain wouldn’t have seen that, I don’t think.  He came running and all of a sudden there was this mass of tomato vines between me and the spikes.”

“Tomato vines?” Al asked.

“He keeps a tomato plant on his desk.  He’s been studying it,” Mustang said.

“It was a good defense,” Ed said with a shrug.  “He should sleep sound tonight after that.”

“Until he wakes up with nightmares,” Mustang said with a sigh. 

“If you think it would help, you could come stay with me tonight,” Al offered.  “From what he said, his window is busted and your place is now a crime scene.  He already has a room at my place.”

“Al-”

“Thank you, Alphonse,” Mustang interrupted.  “That would be the best idea, I think.  It’ll give me some peace of mind to know that you’re with Al tonight.”

“And where are you gonna be?” Ed demanded.

“Fullmetal, I have to go back to work and wrap this up.”

“Sir,” Hawkeye came up at that moment.  “I think it would be best if you stayed with the Elrics.”

Ed knew what she meant.  The whole team was close to Ed and Usain, but this attack had happened at Mustang’s home.  It would be better for the investigation if Mustang wasn’t handling tonight’s events.

“Come on.  Usain will sleep better if he knows you’re there too.”

Mustang didn’t look happy about it but he knew when to back off. 

“If you have enough room, Alphonse.”

“You know I do.”

“I’ll get a bag packed for Usain if you want to get him out to the car,” Ed said.  It would only take a moment to get their things together and as much as he wanted to hold his son, he wanted to be out of the house.  He needed to be out of it. 

He ran upstairs and grabbed his travel suitcase and stuffed in clothes for the both of them quickly as well as their toiletries.  He hesitated a second but grabbed Roy’s as well. 

When he went downstairs, Alphonse had Usain in his arms, still asleep.   “The General is waiting in the car,” Alphonse said quietly.  “He thought you’d want to get out fast.”

Ed nodded.  “That’s exactly what I want.”

“We already let the team know where we’d be.  I was waiting on you.”

“Let’s go then.”

 

***

 

It took a week before Ed felt ready to go back home.  Mustang had gone back four days before and after so many stop and starts on their relationship, he wanted to go home and be there with Mustang.  The case was wrapped up and now that Ed and Usain were coming home, Mustang had pulled a couple strings and gotten a few days off work.     

Usain’s room looked like nothing had happened to it and he’d played in his room off and on all afternoon.  Ed found himself watching him for longer than usual, checking on him more often than he normally would, but his son seemed to be adjusting fine.

Ed had more issues than Usain.  In fact, as soon as Mustang read him a story, he was ready for sleep.  Ed, on the other hand, tossed and turned like a madman.  He couldn’t get comfortable.  He kept hearing things.  He was seeing things that weren’t there. 

Finally, he decided to admit what he really needed.  He walked quietly down the hall and opened Mustang’s bedroom door.  The other man was a light sleeper and Ed sat at the edge of the bed before he called his name.  “Roy?”

His eyes opened immediately and Ed wondered if he’d really been sleeping at all.

“Ed?  Are you okay?”

“Yeah.  I just … can’t sleep.”

Mustang sat up and leaned back on his hands.  “Why, Fullmetal, do you need me to read you a bedtime story too?” he teased.

He laughed at the thought but when Mustang’s palm caressed his cheek, he took a deep breath and relaxed into it.  “I can’t seem to fit anywhere.  No matter what I do, my bed is too lumpy or too soft or there’s too much light in my room or…  I don’t know.”

Mustang kissed him gently and Ed leaned closer.  He should have known better because all of a sudden Mustang wrapped his arms around Ed and twisted.  He ended up on his back on the other side of Mustang, with the man smiling down at him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ed demanded.

“Maybe it was your bed that’s the problem.  You can sleep in here tonight and see if this one is better.”

When Mustang kissed him again, he deepened it and Ed felt himself more than eager to respond.  “Somehow, I don’t think me spending the night in your bed is going to help either of us get any sleep.”

“I usually sleep better after physical activity,” Mustang teased. 

Ed didn’t disagree.  In fact, when put that way, Ed wrapped his hand around Mustang’s neck and pulled him down to meet his lips. 

He didn’t exactly go to sleep right away, but after some quality time with his lover and a quick shower to clean up, he was far more relaxed than he had been in his own bed.

He was finally at the edge of sleep when he heard the door to Mustang’s room open.

“Uncle Mustang?”

“Usain?” Mustang sat up in bed and Ed closed his eyes, grateful that they’d at least put PJ bottoms on when they’d come back to bed.  “You okay?”

“I can’t sleep and I can’t find Daddy.”

“That’s because he couldn’t sleep either,” Mustang said before Ed could think of what to say.  “Look, he’s right here.”

“Hey bud,” he said as he sat up.  Usain’s eyes were wide but then he rubbed them with a small fist. 

“You wanna join us?” Mustang asked.  “It’s been a weird week.  I wouldn’t mind having my best guys close tonight.”

Usain smiled warmly at the term and Ed rolled his eyes because Mustang was a horrible, horrible example to his son. 

“When he wants to sleep with you every night, I don’t want to hear it,” Ed said with a shake of his head.

Usain climbed up into the bed and Roy helped him get settled between them, his back to Ed’s chest.  This was the last thing he needed to find his sleep tonight.  Usain squirmed for a few minutes and finally seemed to settle.

“Uncle Mustang, you love my Dad, don’t you?”

It came out of nowhere and Ed’s heart nearly burst out of his chest but when he looked over Usain’s head he caught Mustang’s eyes and there was so much warmth and understanding there that he smiled. 

“Yeah,” Mustang said.  Then he looked back at Usain.  “I do.”

“And you love me too.”

“Of course I do.”

“Huh,” Usain said.  They both knew that was just a piece of the puzzle slotting into place for Usain so they waited.  Ed was a little terrified of his next words, whatever they would be.

“Why don’t you marry my dad?  If you love him and you live with him.   Why don’t you marry him?”

Mustang cupped Usain’s cheek and smiled.  “That is a very good question,” he said as he looked up at Ed.  “Why don’t I marry his dad?”

“Probably because you never asked him.”

Ed watched the way his answer caught Mustang out.  He gasped lightly at Ed’s teasing words but there was hope in his eyes, like a wildfire, burning between them.

“Edward Elric.”

Ed probably would have fallen out of the bed if he wasn’t paralyzed with shock.

“Would you do me the honor of becoming my husband?”

Ed couldn’t speak.  All he could do was look in Mustang’s eyes.  He could see that his lover knew the answer already and he could see the smug smile on his lips that was quickly turning into one of his honest ones, the ones he usually reserved for play time with Usain. 

He felt an elbow to the chest and he frowned down at his son.  “Dad, you’re supposed to say yes.”

“What if I don’t want to?” he demanded of his son.

Usain dropped his head into his pillow, face first, and did a perfect imitation of Al.  “Why is my dad such an idiot?”

“Hey!”

“Daaaadd!  Answer!”

When Ed looked up at Mustang though, he felt his own breath catch in his throat.  “I would.”

Mustang carefully reached over Usain and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.  “Guess we have some news to share with the team in the morning then.”

Usain sighed between them and they both looked down. 

“Good night, Dad.”

“Good night, Usain,” Ed said as he pressed a kiss to his head. 

Usain knew it was coming so he leaned his head closer to Mustang who kissed his hair.  “Good night, Usain.  Sleep well.”

“Good night, Papa.”

Ed barely kept from laughing aloud at the way the emotions flittered across Mustang’s face.  Shock and embarrassment and pride and pure unadulterated joy.

“Roy?”

“Yeah, Ed?”

“I love you, Bastard.”

Roy laughed at the words, even as he wrapped his arm over Ed and his son.  “I love you too, Brat.”

It took seven years and four countries for Ed to settle down.  Funny, how it only took five words to finally find a home.   

                                                 

 


	2. Three Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A timestamp to the main story.
> 
> Roy memorized the moment, as he had so many others since the Promised Day, and filed it away under the ever increasing label of ‘moments missed’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a prompt for kzellr who asked for Roy sharing a bedtime story that his Xingese mother told him. It made me think of Roy and his relationship with Usain, and kzellr was awesome enough to agree :P And then I made her beta it :P 
> 
> This takes place during Five Words so if you haven't read that yet, you'll be missing a bit. 
> 
> Storywise, it happens about 3 years after Ed and Usain leave Amestris to travel and 2 years before they come back to live with Roy.

It was an almost unheard of occasion.  Roy Mustang sat on the porch at the back of the house in Resembool and was completely alone.  Usain was out in the back yard.  He knew Roy was there.  But Roy was alone.

“I’m not sure which one of you is pouting worse right now,” he heard a voice say quietly as the back door closed.

He looked back at Ed and then turned his attention to the young boy in the grass.  “I called his name but he just waved and went back to kicking dandelions.”

“Yeah.  Don’t feel bad.  He’s been like that all week.  He won’t talk to anyone.  Not even your competition.”

Roy smiled at that and stood up from his position on the top step where he’d been watching the young boy.  “Guess I’d better step up then.  Can’t have Uncle Al get one up on me.”

“You know there isn’t actually a score card.”

“No score card.  Just something that’s worth the effort.”

He didn’t say anything else as he stepped off the porch and down the steps.  The five-year-old wasn’t paying him any attention and while Roy was put off by the behavior, it was more upsetting that something was eating at Usain and he hadn’t talked to Ed about it.

As much as Roy and Ed still bickered, Ed was a wonderful father and Roy would readily admit it to anyone who asked.

“Hey kiddo,” Roy called out to Usain as he joined him in the yard.  “I heard you were in Resembool for the weekend and I managed to sneak onto a train before Aunt Hawkeye could find me.”

Usain smiled at him, but it was weak in comparison to the real thing.

“Is something wrong, Usain?”

The boy looked around and spotted his dad on the porch before he shook his head.  “I have to get ready for bed.”

He walked past Roy and headed to his dad, speaking softly as he passed him.  Once he was through the back door, Ed looked over at Roy.  Ed let out a deep breath and shrugged. 

“See?”

“Mind if I get him ready for bed?” Roy asked.  Not that he needed to.  Ed was well aware that this was their routine whenever Roy and Usain were together.  Roy didn’t want to think of a time when he would outgrow bedtime stories and his Uncle Mustang, and he planned to take advantage of it for as long as he could.

“I’d prefer to keep myself unsinged, thank you,” Ed teased. 

“Good call,” Roy said as he and Ed sat on the back step together.  It was quiet and peaceful tonight.  Winry was in Rush Valley and Ed and Usain were going there to visit next.  Pinako had been sick lately though so Ed had wanted to see her before he turned to visit Winry. 

It was a companionable silence between them and Roy wondered when that had happened.  Surely it had been there when he’d come home from the hospital and Ed, Alphonse, and Usain had been living with him.  A lot had changed on the Promised Day.  Roy just wasn’t sure if this was one of them or if they’d grown into this gradually.

“Alphonse said he’s coming back for a visit next month,” Roy began to talk to Ed then, about anything and nothing, and all that mattered was keeping Ed’s mind from his little boy’s trouble for a little while.

True dark had fallen across the sky by the time Usain came to the back door again.

“Uncle Mustang?”

“Yes, Usain?”

“Can you read me a story?”

“I was hoping you’d ask,” Roy said as he looked back at the boy. 

Usain ran to his room and Roy dropped a hand to Ed’s shoulder.  “I’ll try to talk to him again.  We’ll get it out of him somehow.”

“Thanks, Roy,” Ed said quietly as Roy left his side to go check on the little guy.

He was already in bed before Roy got there which still said a lot about his state of mind.  Roy normally had to chase him to bed and then tell him a few stories before he’d settle enough to sleep.

“So, you want to tell me what’s going on?”

Usain let out a deep sigh that showed just how upset the five-year-old was.  “Can I ask you something, Uncle Mustang?”

“Always.”

“Will you … can we keep it secret?”

That was something new.  Usain had never asked to keep something from Ed.  Other than pranks, which this was clearly not. 

“So long as it’s not something harmful, I promise that we can keep it secret.  If I think it could hurt you though, I’ll have to tell him.”

Usain nodded.  “Did anybody ever say something mean to you?”

“They have.”  He waited for something else, but Usain just stared at his hands that were twisting his blanket up.  “Did someone say something to you?”

Usain nodded. 

“Do you want to tell me?”

“There was this kid at school and he said…”

Roy waited it out.  And tried not to think about catching a five-year-old’s hair on fire for hurting Usain.

“He keeps making fun of me because I don’t look like Dad.  He said I can’t be his son because everyone knows that the Fullmetal Alchemist is gold.”

It was an absurd thing to tease someone about but Roy could see just how much it hurt Usain.  “Usain, not looking like Ed doesn’t mean anything.  You look like your mother,” he said, repeating the lie they’d been telling everyone since the day Usain had been named into Ed Elric’s care.  Only a handful of people knew that the child had once been the homunculus Pride. 

“But why can’t I look like my Dad?”

Roy let out a deep breath.  “Do you really think it matters what you look like?”

Usain shook his head but Roy could still see that it bothered him.

“Well, I think I have a perfect bedtime story for tonight,” Roy said.  He didn’t really, but he understood all too well how it felt to be judged for how you looked and he’d faced it at a very young age. 

Usain snuggled down into his blankets like he always did at story time but his usually excited face was marred with a frown. 

“Once upon a time, there was a young boy who loved his mother and father very much.  They lived in a big city where the noise and clatter of people was always present.  He loved the hustle and bustle and he loved to run around and play in the streets.  He was a smart boy and he was always listening.  That also meant he was listening to things he shouldn’t.”

“What shouldn’t he listen to?” Usain asked.

Roy ran his fingers through the boy’s hair, relieved that he was showing interest in the story.  “Well, in this case, he listened to some old women who lived down the street.  It wasn’t the best area of the city, but it was still safe enough for him to run around on his own down the block and one of his favorite games was to sneak up on people and scare them.  The neighborhood adults laughed when he did it and he took pride in his stealthy abilities.  One day, he decided to creep up on the old aunties down the block.”

“Oh, maybe he shouldn’t.”

“I think you’re right, Usain, but he did.  And he crept so quietly that no one knew he was there.  As it happened, the old aunties were discussing his father.

‘He’s a beautiful man,’ One of the aunties said to the other two and they all nodded in agreement, ‘but something must be done about that woman of his.’

‘It’s a shame, isn’t it?’ Another auntie chimed in.  ‘Beautiful and smart but he will do nothing with his potential as long as he stays married to that Xingese woman.’

‘And the boy.  He looks so much like her.  Not his father at all.  Do you even believe that he is the boy’s father?’ the third said.”

“Uncle Mustang, that wasn’t very nice of the old aunties.”

“You’re right, Usain.  And the boy agreed with you as well, but he knew this was the sort of thing he wasn’t supposed to listen to and he was stuck.  He’d crept up so close to scare them that if he tried to move away, he was afraid they’d see him.  He didn’t know what to do.  So he stayed where he was, hidden in a little shadow against the wall.

Then the first auntie agreed with the others.  ‘The boy is just a Xingese brat, sneaky and far too quick with his tongue if you ask me.’

‘Too smart to just stay quiet and let everyone forget who his mother is,’ another said.

‘That’s not likely to happen.  He looks just like her, doesn’t he? With her dark eyes and dark hair.  He looks nothing like the respectable man his father is.  He won’t grow up to be worth anything, with those Xingese devil eyes of his.’

And the boy was devastated, really, because the aunties had always been so kind to him when he saw them.  He helped them with small chores and they gave him a few coins in exchange, which he’d use to go buy sweets.”

“He had a sweet tooth?”

“Yes, he did.  A very bad one.  He used to get in trouble with his mother all the time for sneaking treats.”

“So he was good at sneaking food and sneaking up on people,” Usain commented.

“Very,” Roy said with a laugh.  “Now, the boy had been able to stay silent but he was very sad.  Can you imagine?”

Usain nodded his head. 

“He tried to stay quiet but there were tears in his eyes and he wanted to run away.  His luck changed though when the old aunties moved away from their corner and never noticed he’d been there.  As soon as he could, he ran to his favorite hiding place.  No one would find him there and if no one could find him, then no one could see that he was crying.”

“He was that sad?”

“Yes, he was.  Because the boy loved his mother and his father, but the old aunties were right.  He didn’t look anything like his father who had brown hair and big green eyes.  And the boy wanted nothing more in life than to be like his father, who he thought was a hero.”

“Was he a hero?”

“He was.  He was an Amestrian soldier and he’d risen through the ranks to become a diplomat.  He was soft spoken and kind, but there was steel underneath and everything the boy did was to try to emulate his father.  But the aunties said he couldn’t, that no matter what he did he could never be like him because he looked too much like his mother.”

“That’s not right.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Just because he didn’t look like him doesn’t mean he couldn’t be like his Dad.”

“I agree.  And that night, when he didn’t come home for lunch or dinner, his mother and father went looking for him.  And his mother, with her Xingese heritage, was able to find him when all else had failed.”

“She could sense the Dragon Pulse, right?”

Roy smiled, because of course Ed’s son knew all about that.  “Exactly.  So she found her son, hidden in the dark corner of an abandoned building a block away, in an old shipping container that he’d used to stash all his hidden treasures.”

“What sort of treasures?”

“Oh, mostly books he’d found or some stray sweets that had slipped out of the bags when he’d hidden them away.  But his mother found him, lying on the cold floor, crying.  She pulled him into her arms and kissed his temple and brushed his hair out of his eyes.  ‘Oh, my precious boy, what is wrong?’

He didn’t want to tell her, because he loved her, but he couldn’t hold in his pain any longer so he blurted it out to his own horror, ‘The old aunties say I won’t ever be like my father, because I look like you.’”

“That’s not really what they said,” Usain reminded Roy.

“You’re right, but that’s what it meant to him, isn’t it?”

Usain thought about it a moment before he nodded. 

“His mother held him close and she waited until his tears stopped before she looked him in the eyes.  ‘You are my beautiful, beautiful boy, and don’t you ever let anyone tell you who you can be.  I would have loved you with your father’s brown hair or his jade eyes, but how you look does not measure what is in your heart.  And I could not love your heart any more than I already do.’

And she could see the words had affected him, but not quite enough.  ‘Do you think your father would love you any more, if you looked like him?’

And the thought was immediately rejected by his, ‘No!  Of course not!  Papa loves you and he always says you are the most beautiful, most perfect woman in the world.  He says he is grateful that I look like you.’

His mother smiled and the boy hugged her.  ‘It doesn’t matter what those old aunties say.  I’m glad I look like you too.’

And the boy and his mother went home to find his father had been very anxious about them both by now.  He hugged them and told them how much he loved them.  And when the boy explained to his father what had happened, his father told the boy not to worry.  He’d have a talk with the old aunties because no one was allowed to talk about his beautiful wife that way and upset his son.  And they never did again.  And the boy, never, ever wished to look different again either.”

Usain let out a deep breath and Roy pressed a kiss to his temple. 

“Uncle Mustang?”      

“Who was the boy?”

Roy smiled because Usain had always been very perceptive.  He’d been able to tell fairytale from real stories at a very young age.  “It was me.”

“You?”

“Yes.”

“So you look like your mom but not your dad?”

“Yes.  Papa became a diplomat and was sent to Xing for some time.  There he met a beautiful young princess and he married her.  He always said she deserved more than a common soldier like him, but she said the most anyone could ask was a heart full of love, and that he had given her.”

“It doesn’t really matter what they said, I guess.”

“You guess?”

Usain gave him a small smile and nodded.  “I might not look like my dad, but everyone says I’m just like him.”

“There is little doubt that you have been raised by Fullmetal,” Roy said with a smile.  “You are most definitely your father’s son.  And I like that very much about the both of you.”

Usain giggled and Roy started to tickle him even though it was bedtime and he was supposed to be settling him to sleep instead of riling him up.  It turned into a rather one-sided pillow fight since Roy didn’t have his own pillow to fight back with but as Usain let out a squeal of laughter, his father came into the room.

“Hey!  I thought it was bedtime?”

“Daaaaad!”  Usain launched himself off the bed and Ed caught him quickly, reflexes born from both battle and child-rearing.  He buried his head in Ed’s neck and Ed held him close.  After a few moments, his son squirmed out of his arms and back into his bed. 

Roy kissed his forehead and gave a quick good night before he left the room.  He went downstairs to wait for Ed, but decided that it was a nice enough night to wait out on the back porch step.  A few minutes later, Fullmetal joined him.

“I owe you one,” Ed said softly.  He handed Roy a glass of whiskey as he settled on the step beside Roy. 

“Did he talk to you?”

“He did.  Of course, I heard the whole thing when he told you.”

“You were listening?”

“Of course.  You aren’t the only kid who learned how to listen where they weren’t supposed to.”

Mustang rolled his eyes but took a drink of whiskey to keep from saying anything he shouldn’t.

“I didn’t know.  About your mother,” Ed said softly.  “You never talk about your parents.”

“I don’t remember them well enough to say much,” Roy said.  “A few stories here and there.  Most of what I remember is from what Madame Christmas told me.  Just … stories passed down of her brother and his wife.”

“A Princess?”

“One of the many heirs to the throne, but a favored one.  My father nearly started a diplomatic incident and certainly caused trouble for many years to come.  Including the damage it did to his own reputation as a diplomat.  But he loved her beyond reason.  She refused to be with him, at first, because of what it would do to him, but he convinced her to let him love her anyway.  And they were happy together, no matter what their station in life.”

Madame Christmas had asked his father once, if she was worth losing everything and he’d explained it simply enough.  That he would never let their love destroy his career and he would never let his career destroy their love.  

Roy let out a deep breath as he looked over at Ed.  He could understand the feeling. 

“So, you’re related to Ling?”

“I’m sure he doesn’t realize but yes, technically I would be.  My mother was his half-sister.  One of the oldest of the children of the late Emperor.”

“Ling is your uncle?”

“I don’t like to think about it like that, but yes.  My mother was disinherited.”

“So Mei is your aunt?”

“Ed,” he said with a soft sigh.  Ed was smiling though and Roy wondered what sort of mischief that could possibly brew.  Thankfully, there was no plan to visit Xing in the near future.  He had a feeling Ed would make sure Ling was reminded.

“You’re a Xingese Prince.”

Roy laughed finally, “Ed!  Enough.  I am not royalty.  I am a streetbrat raised in a brothel.  And happy enough of it.”

Ed was smiling at him and it was so wide and honest that it took his breath away.  He wanted, so very much, to reach across the distance and press his lips to Ed’s.  He had given Ed the choice though, three years ago.  He was still waiting for an answer and as he stared into his former subordinate’s eyes, he wondered if he might actually get one this time.

Ed’s smile turned softer and he raised his glass to toast lightly against Roy’s.  “Well, whoever you are, Roy Mustang, you deserve a medal for saving my kid up there.  He’s really been beating himself up all week.  I don’t know why he didn’t just tell me what was going on.”

Roy sighed as he looked down in his whiskey; another moment and he was still as unsure of what Ed felt for him as he’d been at the train station when Ed and Usain had begun their travels.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, Ed.  He’s a growing boy and all boys need their secrets.  He told you about it all on his own without me prompting him too, in the end.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“And in case you forgot,” Mustang said as he bumped his shoulder against Ed’s in a friendly manner, “you aren’t alone.  We’re all here for you and Usain.  And we’ll stick by the both of you, to the end.”

Ed smiled again and set his glass aside.  He leaned back on the porch and looked out across the night’s sky and his eyes sparkled with starlight.

Roy memorized the moment, as he had so many others since the Promised Day, and filed it away under the ever increasing label of ‘moments missed’.  Still, it was a beautiful night, Usain was upstairs in bed and would be terrorizing him in the morning for his share of attention, and Fullmetal was at his side.  

And if three words danced round his head as he enjoyed the peace of the country evening with Ed, that was his own business. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my third foray into FMA now, and I have another longer one (currently about 25K) sitting on my computer that I'm working on. I haven't delved into a new fandom this hard since... well... since I joined the SPN fandom. It's been amazing having a new inspiration to write! And this fandom has the longest, most amazing stories written by some great authors. I am enjoying the binge of new reading material :P I hope I can contribute something with this.


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